Here’s our weekly guide to the upcoming motorcycle races and events that are happening within the next week and how to watch. Don’t see a race or event that’s happening in your neck of the woods? Leave a comment to let us know.

August 18

AMA Pro Motocross
The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, features the world’s fastest outdoor motocross racers, racing aboard the best bikes each factory offers, on the roughest, toughest tracks in the world. Motocross racing is survival of the fittest as well as the fastest every weekend; it’s where legends like Ricky Carmichael, Jeremy McGrath, James Stewart, and Ryan Villopoto were built.Motocross is the original extreme action sport, and Lucas Oil Pro Motocross is the pinnacle of pure motocross. The 12-round series begins at Hangtown in May and ends at Indiana’s Ironman Raceway in August. It includes stops at the premier motocross racing facilities in America, with events in California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Washington, New York, Maryland and Indiana. The pro riders meet up on Saturday afternoon, with competition divided into two classes: one for 250cc bikes, and one for 450cc machines.

American Flat Track
The American Flat Track Series, formerly known as the AMA Grand National Championship and the AMA Pro Flat Track Series, is an American motorcycle track racing series that originally encompassed five distinct forms of competitions including mile dirt track races, half-mile, short-track, TT steeplechase and road races. The championship was totally revamped and is currently the fastest growing sport on two wheels.

British Superbike
The British Superbike Championship (BSB) is the leading road racing superbike championship in the United Kingdom, and is widely acknowledged as one of the premier domestic superbike racing series in the world.The series typically races over twelve rounds from April to October, with the series concluding in a three-round ‘Showdown,’ where the top six riders are awarded points based on their podium finishes from the previous nine rounds and then compete over three rounds and seven races for the title. The Showdown format was introduced in 2010 in order to prevent a rider from making a runaway victory in the championship.

FIM World Motocross MXGP
FIM Motocross World Championship is the premier championship of motocross racing, organized by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), currently divided into two distinct classes: MX1 and MX2. Race duration is 30 minutes plus 2 laps per moto. The series runs 18 events with two motos at each round.

NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle
The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Pro Stock Motorcycle drag racing championship is the most popular as well as best known series of its kind. The rate at which these motorcycles go down the drag strip is insane.

Tennessee Knockout Extreme Enduro
The event features a multi-round “Knockout” format. Each round is different as the riders race against the clock in some rounds and head to head in others and they do so on both short and long courses consisting of extremely difficult terrain. All of the action is designed to be very spectator friendly with easy viewing access to many of the most challenging sections.

The week before the Austrian MotoGP at the Red Bull Ring (where Marquez finished second to J Lo by 0.13 second), the small Spaniard was granted the opportunity to schwantz around the circuit in a Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 car for a few laps.

At the 2017 MotoGP race there, MM qualified in pole position with a 1.23.235 lap. At the 2018 F1 race, Valtteri Bottas qualified on pole with a time of 1.03.130. Word from Red Bull is that the Catalonian cruise missile lapped about 9 seconds off his usual MotoGP pace in the four-wheeler – which means he’s 11 seconds from competitive.

Maybe if they’d put Valentino in another car ahead of him, MM could’ve gone faster, before the inevitable shunt?

The 2018 MotoGP points leader had this to say: “It was an unbelievable experience, and an absolute highlight of my career. There is a massive difference to MotoGP. The limited visibility was a great challenge, in particular, to begin with. You feel a lot more constricted in the cockpit. The braking distances and timing in turns is completely different. A Formula 1 car has much more downforce, of course, which made for a lot of fun in the part of the circuit with the most turns, in particular.”

In town to support President Trump’s crusade against Harley-Davidson for off-shoring some of its motorcycle production, we learn that Bikers For Trump founder Chris Cox has the group’s T-shirts made in Haiti to save $8 each. You can’t make this stuff up. Read the rest here at Newsweek.com.

]]>http://blog.motorcycle.com/2018/08/14/gear-2/dainese-d-air-now-20-off-usa/
http://blog.motorcycle.com/2018/08/14/gear-2/dainese-d-air-now-20-off-usa/#respondTue, 14 Aug 2018 15:06:54 +0000Press Releasehttp://blog.motorcycle.com/?p=77440Dainese D-air now 20% OFF | USA OnlyTop of the line motorcycle gear and rider protection can get expensive, but here’s your chance to save some hard-earned cash on Dainese D-air. Dainese: The most advanced motorbike garments you can buy, the best promotion you can find. BUY now *20% off on D-air jackets and suits range. Born in MotoGP, and now available […] more]]>

Top of the line motorcycle gear and rider protection can get expensive, but here’s your chance to save some hard-earned cash on Dainese D-air.

Dainese:

The most advanced motorbike garments you can buy, the best promotion you can find.

BUY now *20% off on D-air jackets and suits range.

Born in MotoGP, and now available for your daily riding experience. Wherever the road leads you.

]]>http://blog.motorcycle.com/2018/08/14/motorcycle-news/motorsports-hall-fame-america-induct-kevin-schwantz/
http://blog.motorcycle.com/2018/08/14/motorcycle-news/motorsports-hall-fame-america-induct-kevin-schwantz/#respondTue, 14 Aug 2018 14:58:14 +0000Press Releasehttp://blog.motorcycle.com/?p=77437Motorsports Hall of Fame of America to Induct Kevin SchwantzInducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999, Kevin Schwantz will be join the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in March. AMA: AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Kevin Schwantz will be inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2019. Schwantz, the 1993 500cc Grand Prix World Champion and 1988 […] more]]>

Inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999, Kevin Schwantz will be join the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in March.

AMA:

AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Kevin Schwantz will be inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2019.

Schwantz, the 1993 500cc Grand Prix World Champion and 1988 Daytona 200 winner, will be one of six individuals enshrined in the multi-discipline Motorsports Hall of Fame in Daytona Beach, Fla.

The induction celebration will be March 11-12, 2019.

Born in Houston, Texas, to parents who owned a motorcycle dealership, Schwantz began riding motorcycles at age 3 . He made the transition from motocross to road racing in the mid-1980s and became one of the winningest American riders in international road racing competition.

Schwantz won 25 of the 125 500cc Grand Prix World Championship races he entered. His career included fierce on-track rivalries with AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famers Eddie Lawson and Wayne Rainey.

Schwantz’s No. 34 was retired by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme and he was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999.

Here’s our weekly guide to the upcoming motorcycle events and rides that are happening within the next month. Don’t see an event that’s happening in your neck of the woods? Leave a comment to let us know.

]]>http://www.motorcycle.com/mini-features/new-2019-kawasaki-ninja-zx-6r-coming-oct-11.html
http://www.motorcycle.com/mini-features/new-2019-kawasaki-ninja-zx-6r-coming-oct-11.html#respondMon, 13 Aug 2018 21:36:40 +0000Dennis Chunghttp://www.motorcycle.com/?p=79277New 2019 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R Coming Oct. 11Despite what you may have heard, the supersport class is not completely dead, as Motorcycle.com can confirm that an updated more]]>

Despite what you may have heard, the supersport class is not completely dead, as Motorcycle.com can confirm that an updated KawasakiZX-6R is coming for 2019. We can also confirm the new 2019 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R will be announced (at least, for the U.S.) on Oct. 11, which happens to be the first media day at the 2018 AIMExpo show.

The information comes to us via 2019 model information submitted by Kawasaki to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The most recent document was dated Aug. 1, updating the previous filing made on May 24. The only change made was the addition of information for the Ninja ZX-6R. The document confirms the ZX-6R will continue to be powered by a 636cc four-cylinder engine, but the listed net brake horsepower sees a slight dip from the 2018 model’s 129.3 hp to 127.4 hp.

The filing also includes a note to NHTSA requesting the document not be released until the embargo lift date of Oct. 11, 2018. Needless to say, NHTSA either didn’t notice or disregarded the request and released the document. Seeing as how the 2019 ZX-6R was the only change being embargoed, it is clear that an official announcement was planned for that date, likely at AIMExpo. This doesn’t entirely rule out an earlier reveal, say, at Intermot on Oct. 2, but it does suggest that the U.S. announcement is planned for the 11th.

Further confirmation comes via the California Air Resources Board which has certified the Ninja ZX-6R for 2019. According to the CARB executive order, the 2019 ZX-6R receives a new three-way catalyst and Ho2S (heated oxygen sensor).

According to the CARB executive order for the 2018 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R the current model uses an oxidation catalyst. A new three-way catalyst and heated oxygen sensor helps the 2019 ZX-6R release fewer emissions.

As a result, the certified exhaust emissions for the 2019 model are lower than for 2018, with hydrocarbon (HC) emissions dropping to 0.2 g/km from 0.3 g/km. Certified HC+NOx (hydrocarbon plus nitrogen oxide) levels decreased from 0.4 g/km to 0.2 g/km, while carbon monoxide (CO) emission went from 2 g/km to 1 g/km.

Unfortunately, neither the NHTSA filing or the CARB executive order tells us any other information about the 2019 ZX-6R. It’s altogether possible the only thing that has changed are the emissions measures and the resulting dip in power. More likely there will be other changes too, such as a TFT display or design cues resembling the ZX-10R or H2.

There was a time that manufacturers released a new 600cc sportbike every few years. Shifting economics, consumer habits and emissions controls, however, have cooled off the once popular supersport segment.

Honda has reportedly given up on offering the CBR600RR in Europe, where it does not meet Euro 4 requirements, and Triumph has quietly said goodbye to the Daytona 675 (while playing coy about whether the 765cc Street Triple engine being pressed into Moto2 duties will power a new Daytona). Yamaha continues to support the YZF-R6, updating it in 2017, and now it looks like it’ll be joined by a new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R.

Levis began churning out lightweight two-stroke motorcycles in Birminghan, Old Blighty, beginning in 1911, and were good enough to win IoM Junior TTs in 1920 and `22. Later the company expanded into the four-stroke market, too, but production ceased in 1940, no doubt because of that little misunderstanding with the Germans.

Fast forward to 2017, the Levis name was acquired by a group of British motorcycle enthusiasts and designers who decided to jump back into the game. Acoording to Levis’ website, “Phil Bevan had an idea for a new motorcycle based around the compact 2 litre V10 engine developed for the Connaught Type D GT car in 2004. Phil engaged designer Steve Kirk to produce a concept for what this new motorcycle could look like. This would be a revolutionary design using a tubular stainless steel frame with stainless infill panels and a Hossack style independent front end. Phil was so pleased with Steves design he decided to make the bike. Initially the plan was to make one bike only but after showing the design to friends and colleagues the interest and enthusiasm encouraged Phil to rethink and the fledgling motorcycle company was formed.”

That V10 is modular in design, so the engine that’ll power the new Cafe Racer will be a narrow-angle (22 degrees) 1200cc V-Six Levin says will produce around 120 horsepower.

If all is going according to plan, the Cafe Racer should appear at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England next month. Base price is said to be about £102,000 – around $130k today.

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http://blog.motorcycle.com/2018/08/13/events/ama-announces-2018-u-s-motocross-nations-team/#respondMon, 13 Aug 2018 17:28:42 +0000Press Releasehttp://blog.motorcycle.com/?p=77431AMA Announces 2018 U.S. Motocross of Nations TeamWith Plessinger, Tomac and Barcia leading the charge for Team USA, and the 2018 Motocross of Nations here on American soil at RedBud, we’ve got a great shot at winning it this year. AMA: Aaron Plessinger, Eli Tomac and Justin Barcia to represent the United States at FIM Motocross of Nations PICKERINGTON, OH – August […] more]]>

With Plessinger, Tomac and Barcia leading the charge for Team USA, and the 2018 Motocross of Nations here on American soil at RedBud, we’ve got a great shot at winning it this year.

AMA:

Aaron Plessinger, Eli Tomac and Justin Barcia to represent the United States at FIM Motocross of Nations

PICKERINGTON, OH – August 11, 2018 – The United States will be represented by three of its fastest motocross racers when the Fédération Internationale de Motocylisme Motocross of Nations returns to American soil Oct. 6-7 at RedBud MX in Buchanan, Mich.

“America has wanted the Motocross of Nations to be at RedBud MX for a very long time,” AMA Supercross Manager Mike Pelletier said. “That wait is finally over, and we have a team of riders this year that can put the United States on the top step of the podium in front of a home crowd. Eli, Aaron and Justin are incredibly talented and accomplished racers, and I look forward to watching them take on the world together this October.”

It will be Plessinger’s first time competing as a member of the U.S. Motocross of Nations team. He will race in the event’s MX2 Class.

“Being selected to race for my country is something I have dreamed about ever since I started riding,” Plessinger said. “I’m so excited to get to represent the United States. With the event being held at RedBud MX, it couldn’t have been a more perfect year. If you know me, you know representing the red white and blue is part of my lifestyle. I can’t wait to see all the fans and hopefully make the Chamberlin Trophy stay here in the United States.”

For Tomac, 2018 will be his third time competing in this event. Tomac was a member of the 2013 and 2014 U.S. Motocross of Nations Teams. He will race in the event’s MXGP Class.

“Having the opportunity to race in the Motocross of Nations and represent my country in front of the world stage is a feeling like no other,” Tomac said. “This year, with it being at RedBud, it’s going to be next level for the entire event. Fans will be going absolutely bonkers. Myself, Justin and Aaron will be ready for the battle, and it’s a track that suits our riding styles. I have a really good feeling this is the year United States will get the Chamberlain Trophy back.”

Barcia is no stranger to representing his country on one of motocross’ biggest stages. 2018 will be the fourth time Barcia has been a member of the U.S. Motocross of Nations team. He will race in the event’s Open Class.

“I’m honored and so excited to be representing the United States at the Motocross of Nations,” Barcia said. “I have had great results in the past at the event. I’m even more amped that the race is at RedBud. It’s my favorite track on the schedule, and now they’re hosting the Motocross of Nations. I know it’s going to be a fantastic opportunity for the team to get that overall win we have been looking for.”

AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Legend Roger DeCoster once again will manage the team as it seeks to secure the world championship. He manages the Red Bull/KTM AMA Motocross and Supercross teams and was a part of six victorious FIM Motocross of Nations teams in the 1960s and 1970s.

“I am very happy that everyone on this team committed without reservation to represent the United States in the Motocross of Nations,” he said. “Eli has been on fire in the nationals. Barcia raced to one of his very best finishes at RedBud MX just six weeks ago. Plessinger has shown consistency and the ability to comeback from a bad start when needed. I feel we have a good and realistic chance to win. I trust that also the RedBud MX fans can do something extra to motivate the team to win the trophy back. Let’s go win!”

The U.S. team has won the Motocross of Nations 22 times, remaining the all-time leader in FIM Motocross of Nations overall team victories and claiming all of those wins under the direction of DeCoster.

The last time the U.S. Team won the Motocross of Nations was 2011. The 2017 team placed ninth.

The FIM Motocross of Nations is one of the most high-profile motorsport events in the world. It features national teams competing for a combined score to determine the overall championship-winning country. The event emerged in post-war Europe in 1947 and has run uninterrupted since that time.

Well this is just awesome! Everyone has their own bucket list, and 104 year-old Elgin Skewes wanted to ride on a Harley, and she did. How cool is that?

Queue aging Harley-Davidson rider jokes in 3…2…1…

Begin Release:

Village Concepts’ Project Bucket List let 104 year-old Elgin Skewes fulfill her dream of riding a motorcycle with a Harley club

PORT ANGELES, WA –August 13, 2018 – Village Concepts, a third generation family owned business, is proud to help seniors live their best lives in retirement and assisted living communities throughout Washington State. At Park View Villas, their Port Angeles community, they experienced just that. Through their Project Bucket List program, 104 year-old Elgin Skewes had her wish to ride a Harley motorcycle granted. A caregiver and Harley club member reached out, and the Hooligans Bike Club answered, offering to help Skewes live her dream. The Hooligans met Elgin Skewes at Park View Villas, dressed her in leathers with her very own “Harley Mama” patch, and took her on her first ride in more than 96 years.

“I want to go my age!” Skewes shouted during the ride.

Skewes reportedly didn’t want to get off the bike when they had finished. Her amazing story was captured by KOMO’s “Eric’s Heroes” segment. In an interview, when asked what was next for the thrill-seeking senior, she replied that she had heard they made a hang glider that could be used with a wheelchair. For Elgin Skewes, not even the sky is the limit, and its thanks to the Village Concepts’ Project Bucket List that she can get there.

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http://blog.motorcycle.com/2018/08/13/racing/lucas-oil-pro-motocross-championship-results-unadilla-2018/#respondMon, 13 Aug 2018 16:50:10 +0000Press Releasehttp://blog.motorcycle.com/?p=77410Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Results: Unadilla 2018Upstate New York’s Unadilla was a mud bog slop fest for most of the weekend’s racing as heavy rain came down. It was more of a challenge to finish the race for most riders rather than being ultra competitive and making passes. At the end, it was a French sweep with Marvin Musquin and Dylan […] more]]>

Upstate New York’s Unadilla was a mud bog slop fest for most of the weekend’s racing as heavy rain came down. It was more of a challenge to finish the race for most riders rather than being ultra competitive and making passes. At the end, it was a French sweep with Marvin Musquin and Dylan Ferrandis taking the 450 and 250 overall wins.

Ferrandis Takes Second Career 250 Class Win

NEW BERLIN, NY – August 11, 2018 – The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, made its return to racing following its final break of the season for the 10th round of the 2018 season, with the 33rd running of the Massey Ferguson Unadilla National from Unadilla Motorsports Park. In the 450 Class, Team Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Marvin Musquin mastered the muddy conditions to emerge with his third victory of the season. In the 250 Class, Monster Energy/Yamalube/Star/Yamaha’s Dylan Ferrandis swept both motos to take his second overall win of the season.

Marvin Musquin claimed his third overall victory (2-1) of the season at Unadilla. | Photo: Rich Shephard

The first 450 Class moto got underway with TPJ Racing’s Dylan Merriam grabbing the Motosport.com Holeshot over RMATV/MC-WPS-KTM’s Blake Baggett and Musquin. Almost instantly Musquin pressured Baggett and made the move into second, quickly followed by a pass on Merriam to takeover the race lead. Championship point leader Eli Tomac was credited with eighth on the opening lap aboard his Monster Energy Kawasaki.

Musquin was able to take full advantage of a clear track and set the pace early, allowing him to open a comfortable gap over his nearest competitor. Baggett inched onto the rear wheel of early race leader Merriam and made a successful pass for second, followed by Rockster Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Phil Nicoletti, who also found his way by Merriam for third. Just moments later, the New York native Nicoletti continued his march towards the front with a pass on Baggett for second.

As Musquin continued his impressive riding out front, Nicoletti used his mud experience to keep the KTM rider in sight. Tomac worked his way into fourth, but was forced to make a stop in the mechanics area for a goggle change, managing to lose only position in the process. The stop by Tomac proved to be a good decision as he started blitzing his way towards the front and around Baggett for third by the end of Lap 5.

The battle for the lead began to heat up as Tomac powered by Nicoletti for second on Lap 7 and was hot on the rear fender of championship rival Musquin. There was no stopping Tomac as he launched by Musquin to takeover the race lead. Similar to Tomac earlier in the moto, Musquin made the decision to stop for goggles and managed to maintain his hold on second.

Tomac was in a class of his own out front and continued to build on his lead throughout the remainder of the moto. He took the checkered flag 25.7 seconds over Musquin, who went unchallenged for second. Nicoletti rode to a hard-fought podium position in third.

Eli Tomac did damage control in the muddy conditions and tied Musquin on points to finish second overall (1-2). | Photo: Jeff Kardas

The final 450 Class moto saw Musquin grab the Motosport.com Holeshot, but he was soon overtaken by Nicoletti, who wasted little time in sprinting to a lead. Tomac, who got off to a much better start in third, was shortly passed by Monster Energy/Yamaha Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia, but took back the position in the very next corner after Barcia lost traction and slid out. Nicoletti held a lead of nearly five seconds at the completion of the opening lap.

Nicoletti kept his home state crowd on their feet as he led the star-studded field around the slippery and deep rutted circuit. With racing lines beginning to take shape, Musquin found his stride and began his attack on Nicoletti for the lead. On Lap 3, Musquin carried his momentum around the outside of Nicoletti and into the lead, while Tomac also made the move on Nicoletti for second.

Despite the challenging conditions, Musquin was relentless out front as he continued to push the pace and extended his lead on Tomac with each passing lap. Nicoletti, who was riding strong in third, would soon feel the heat and get passed by the Monster Energy/Yamaha Factory Racing duo of Cooper Webb and Barcia on Lap 7. Just one lap later, Barcia used an aggressive pass to overtake his teammate for third.

As the checkered flag waved, it was Musquin emerging with his with his fifth moto victory of the season by 30.9 seconds over Tomac. Third would go to Barcia, who overcame several crashes to land on the podium.

New York native Phil Nicoletti carded a career best finish with third overall (3-5). | Photo: Rich Shephard

Musquin’s 2-1 moto scores gave him the overall victory and the advantage in a tiebreaker with Tomac thanks to his better second moto result. Tomac finished second overall (1-2) on the day, while Nicoletti earned a career best third overall (3-5).

“It’s nice to get the job done today and grab another overall victory,” said Musquin “I was a little bit disappointed that I let Eli [Tomac] get around me in that first moto after I had to stop for goggles, but it was nice to come out fired up for that last moto. We managed the points today in these difficult conditions and I’m still in the championship hunt, which is the most important thing.”

Tomac maintains a 15-point advantage over Musquin in the 450 Class standings with two rounds remaining. Barcia’s fourth overall (8-3) moved him into third and ahead of Team HRC Honda’s Ken Roczen. He sits 85 points behind Tomac.

The Frenchman Dylan Ferrandis celebrates a perfect 1-1 performance for his second career victory. | Photo: Jeff Kardas

The rookie Mosiman rode like a man possessed at the head of the field and opened a small cushion over Ferrandis and Harrison in the opening laps. On Lap 5, Mosiman began to feel the pressure from Ferrandis, who was hot on his heels and searching for a way around. Shortly after, Mosiman crashed out of the lead and ultimately allowed Ferrandis to takeover the number one spot. Mosiman’s mistake put Harrison and Plessinger into a battle for second, with the upper hand going to Plessinger.

Ferrandis began to watch his lead diminish as his teammate Plessinger closed in, however, he would wick the pace back up and responded by pulling back away to build a commanding lead. Ferrandis was unstoppable en route to his third moto victory of the season with 35.5 seconds to spare on Plessinger. Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM’s Shane McElrath made a late race charge to pass Harrison for the final podium position in third.

Aaron Plessinger extended his championship point lead to 78 with just two races remaining. | Photo: Rich Shephard

The deciding 250 Class moto saw GEICO Honda’s Cameron McAdoo emerge with the Motosport.com Holeshot over Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM’s Jordon Smith and Harrison. First moto winner Ferrandis quickly entered the battle up front, while Plessinger started the race just outside of the top five.

With clear vision McAdoo was able to put the hammer down and sprint out to the early lead, leaving several riders behind him in the fight for second. On Lap 2, Smith tucked the front end of his KTM and found himself on the ground covered in mud. That same lap, Ferrandis relied on his pure aggression to muscle by Harrison for second, but Harrison responded and took back the position just corners later. On Lap 5, McAdoo would find himself under heavy pressure up front and eventually surrendered to both Harrison and Ferrandis.

As Harrison and Ferrandis paced each other out front, Plessinger picked his way through the ruts and made his way around McAdoo for third. Plessinger would set his sights on the lead duo and begin chipping away at their lead. A dramatic 10th lap saw Plessinger jump his way past Ferrandis for second and eventually into the lead as Harrison encountered lapped traffic and crashed out of the lead. Ferrandis and Savatgy followed in second and third.

With Plessinger grabbing the lead, Ferrandis refused to settle as he put his head down and went back after his teammate to pass him back one lap later. Ferrandis finished the 30-minute-plus-two-lap moto strong and held on for his fourth moto victory of the season by 4.7 seconds over Plessinger. Third was claimed by Savatgy, who earned his second podium result of the season.

Mitchell Harrison was strong all day and used consistency to finish third overall (4-4). | Photo: Rich Shephard

Ferrandis’ 1-1 sweep gave him the second overall victory of his career, edging out his teammate Plessinger in second (2-2). The final podium went to Harrison, who earned a season best third overall (4-4).

“It was really a big battle all day today,” said Ferrandis. “For me, the experience I have from Europe really helped today. I’m use to not having a sighting lap prior to the race. The dirt here is awesome when it’s raining and it was a really good racetrack. It’s not often that I have the chance to battle with Aaron [Plessinger], so today was special and it was nice to push one another for the win.”

Plessinger’s second place finish extended his lead to 78 points over Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM’s Alex Martin, who finished seventh overall (10-7). Monster Energy/Yamalube/Star/Yamaha’s Justin Cooper finished ninth overall (12-6) on the day and maintains third in the standings.

Alex Martin maintains hold of second in the championship and was seventh overall (10-7). | Photo: Jeff Kardas

The 2018 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will continue next weekend for the penultimate round on Saturday, August 18, with its annual visit to the legendary Budds Creek Motocross Park in Maryland for the GEICO Motorcycle Budds Creek National. First motos of the 11th round can be seen live on MAVTV at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET. The second motos will air live on NBC Sports Network at 12 p.m. PT / 3 p.m. ET. Additionally, all of the action can be seen as it unfolds online via the “Pro Motocross Pass” on NBC Sports Gold

For information about the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, please visit ProMotocross.com and be sure to follow all of the Pro Motocross social media channels for exclusive content and additional information on the latest news:

(Manheim, PA) August 11, 2018 –– Garage-Girls are proud to announce the Ultimate Biker Makeover winner for 2018; Karen Anderson. Karen was selected out of over 74 entries to this years contest from the story and photo’s that were submitted. This is the 10th year for the annual contest that is fueled by the goal of helping a fellow rider stay out riding on the road.

Contestants (Girls and Guys) were asked to submit a 600 words or less essay – describing why they are most in need of a biker makeover as well as a photo. Deadline for entries was June 22nd 2018. Submissions were narrowed down to the final four by selected judges from Garage-Girls. From there, the judges had to make the tough decision of who they felt most deserved the Ultimate Biker Makeover. “Karen’s story of powering through not only one type of cancer diagnosis and treatment, but 4 was pretty compelling. How does one get through a blow like that? We all just couldn’t get over how tough this must have been for Karen, but were happy to read that riding her motorcycle to chemo and radiation was what empowered her through it all. This confirmed to us all that we needed to help this woman stay out riding on the road. Riding was how she was surviving.” – Sara Liberte, owner of Garage-Girls

Karen will be getting hooked up with a bunch of prizes which include; A wardrobe of shoes from Harley-Davidson Footwear, a case of full synthetic oil from Spectro Oils, A new Corbin motorcycle seat, cleaning supplies from Star-Brite Solutions, and surprise gear from S&S Cycle, Memphis Shades, and Bare Knuckle Choppers.

The focus of the Garage-Girls Ultimate Biker Makeover is to “Hook a Rider Up”
and help them replace their worn, busted parts and gear.

“For the last 10 years our contest has allowed guys and girls to submit a short story along with a photo of why they need some new gear for their “Body” and “Machine”, it’s a great feeling being able to help a fellow rider get back out on the road with that much needed wind time.” ~Sara Liberte, founder garage-girls.com

]]>http://blog.motorcycle.com/2018/08/13/manufacturers/ural/international-ural-ride-day-is-sept-8-take-a-ride-in-a-ural-sidecar/
http://blog.motorcycle.com/2018/08/13/manufacturers/ural/international-ural-ride-day-is-sept-8-take-a-ride-in-a-ural-sidecar/#respondMon, 13 Aug 2018 15:55:58 +0000Press Releasehttp://blog.motorcycle.com/?p=77401International Ural Ride Day is Sept. 8 – Take a Ride in a Ural Sidecar!Calling all Ural owners – September 8th is International Ural Ride Day and Ural is encouraging owners to #sharethechair by taking as many different people for rides in the sidecar. Take pictures, post them to social media, collect points and earn prizes. Ural: #sharethechair Join us for the International Ural Ride Day on September […] more]]>

Calling all Ural owners – September 8th is International Ural Ride Day and Ural is encouraging owners to #sharethechair by taking as many different people for rides in the sidecar. Take pictures, post them to social media, collect points and earn prizes.

Ural:

#sharethechair
Join us for the International Ural Ride Day on September 8!

This special day continues a tradition of Ural riders that started the Ural Rally Day. We’re happy to carry the torch for this annual tradition and share with the world, the friendliest motorcycles on the planet!

On this International Ural Ride Day we’d like to encourage our Ural community around the world to #sharethechair.Let’s set a record for giving as many rides to as many people as possible. Find friends, neighbors, coworkers, strangers, relatives, distant relatives, Russian sleeper agents, dogs, cats, anyone who would love a ride in the sidecar! Take pictures, collect points and win prizes!

Anywhere and Everywhere!

This event takes place wherever you are. It’s called International Ural Ride Day for a reason.

Go Crazy!

Highest scorers will receive a prize package from Ural. Best photos will also win Ural swag for wildest, funniest, etc. Each passenger equals 1 point. Earn 2 points for a person in uniform (policemen, surgeon, waiter/waitress, etc).Whoever wears a uniform on a Saturday could use a ride in the sidecar! Earn 3 points for a Russian who has never been in a Ural.

Earn the Stars

You’re on a mission. Channel your inner fighter pilot and earn a mission star decal for every 10 co-pilots you take along.

Remember Safety!

We highly advise the use of helmets and participants should obey all traffic laws.

﻿<br/>

Offer rides only if you have enough experience operating a sidecar.

Keep ’em short, a quick loop in the parking lot or a putt around the block.

Use your best judgment. Don’t feel confident enough to give rides to passengers?A picture of them sitting in a sidecar is enough to earn a point.

Mission Manual (aka what to do)

Register. Give rides. Share the pics. Submit the scores.

Take photos and share them on social media using the hashtag #uralrideday and/or #sharethechair and remember to tag @uralmotorcycles. Not on social media? Submit your photos when entering your score. On social media and still want to send us cool photos? Submit them when entering scores. The best ones might just earn you a bottle of Stoli…or something

Travis Pastrana, Ryan Sipes and Ronnie Mac – yes, Ronnie Mac – have been selected to represent Puerto Rico in the 2018 Motocross of Nations (MXoN) at Red Bud on October 7. This year’s MXoN is going to be insane!

Nitro Circus:

MXoN TEAM PUERTO RICO ANNOUNCED

San Juan, PR – Today the Federación de Motociclismo de Puerto Rico Inc. announced that Ronnie Mac, Travis Pastrana, and Ryan Sipes will represent Puerto Rico in the 2018 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations. The all veteran (over 30 years old) team will be guided by MX legend Ricky Johnson as team coach.

Despite missing a slot on Team USA (yet again), Ronnie Mac, self-proclaimed motocross champion, is on a mission to show the world that he is indeed the best racer of all time and has called in his friends Travis Pastrana and Ryan Sipes to help. This all-star team that has been assembled by Ronnie Mac with help from the Motocross Federation of Puerto Rico and Nitro Circus will see Pastrana enter into the Open class while Ryan Sipes will compete in the MX2 class and the heavy hitter Ronnie Mac will hold it down in the MXGP class. All riders will be racing on 2-strokes.

Pastrana, a Motocross of Nations champion, has not raced professionally since 2006 yet he has remained well more than active on his bike since he decided to retire from motocross racing some 12 years ago. With Pastrana’s family ties to Puerto Rico (his Grandfather was born in the USA territory of Puerto Rico), he agreed to make a visit to the gym and dust off his Suzuki RM250 under one condition; the team would need to raise funds to give back to Puerto Rico during their time of need.

“Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico almost a year ago and still to this day thousands of people are without the basic resources they need. This is an awesome opportunity for the motocross community to get behind and give back to the beautiful island of Puerto Rico.” said Pastrana on his involvement with Team Puerto Rico and the 2018 Motocross of Nations. “I’m also excited to be a part of the largest motocross event ever held in the United States and to give the old guys someone to root for as Team Puerto Rico looks to qualify on 2-strokes.”

Ryan Sipes, a well-known vet in the racing world is excited as ever to have the chance to race Motocross of Nations. “Racing in the Motocross of Nations is a dream come true and a once in a lifetime opportunity. To be on a team with one of the best riders to ever throw a leg over a motorcycle is incredible… and my other teammate does double backflips! I can’t wait!”

Team Puerto Rico will be raising funds through direct donations and merch sales. A portion of proceeds of all merch sales will be donated to select Puerto Rican organizations designed to provide support to people in need. The organizations receiving funds will be determined in conjunction with the Federación de Motociclismo de Puerto Rico Inc. to ensure they make the largest impact possible. Head to www.ronsontop.com now to rally behind the boys by purchasing some merchandise or making a direct donation.

For the third year in a row, MotoGP riders have tried to dislodge Ducati Corse from the pronounced advantage they enjoy here in Austria. In 2016, it was Yamaha icon Jorge Lorenzo who failed to flag down Andrea Iannone and Andrea Dovizioso. Last year, it was Honda’s Marc Marquez trying valiantly and ultimately failing to overtake winner Dovizioso. Today, it was Marquez losing again by a tenth, this time to Lorenzo, in a last lap duel that was entertaining, if not riveting.

Practice and Qualifying

The weather gods had themselves a few laughs this weekend. In order to complete the picture postcard surroundings, they summoned bright sunshine, big old rain, and cloud formations worthy of National Geographic. The results were, in a word, havoc. A dry FP1 turned out, as feared by many, to be the determinant of the Q1/Q2 splits, as FP2 was hard rain and FP3 was run on a drying track. The results, as is customary in these rain god kneeslappers, found Q1 comprised of the usual suspects, with the addition of Tito Rabat and the deletion of Valentino Rossi, who got aced out 10th place by teammate Maverick Viñaless and 49/1000ths of a second. Marquez, running fourth, found himself surrounded by Ducatis and Italians, not for the last time.

With Pol Espargaro injured, it was up to Bradley Smith to represent KTM in its home MotoGP race.

Q1: I would have bet my house on Valentino going through. Instead, he put up a rather submissive 4th place finish after getting punked late in the session by Álex Rins and the new improved version of Alvaro Bautista. Bradley Smith made a valiant effort to put his KTM into Q2 in front of the Austrian fans but missed by 15/1000ths of a second.

Q2: My boy Danilo Petrucci, who had been sniffing around the top three all weekend, kept things interesting for the eventual front row, but finished looking quick and dangerous sitting fourth. Marquez put down the fastest lap of the session (.099 off the track record ) and withstood a late scorcher by Dovizioso to hold onto pole by 2/1000ths of a second. More Ducatis, more Italians. Lorenzo kind of backed into third, unable to improve on a quick mid-session lap. Cal Crutchlow and Johann Zarco, sitting fifth and sixth respectively, looked happy just to be within striking distance.

Valentino Rossi and the Yamaha team failed to find the right solution to tackle the Red Bull Ring.

Per announcers Matt and Steve, the consensus amongst the paddock was that Marquez, Dovi and Lorenzo would fight for the podium, with Petrucci, Crutchlow and perhaps Zarco or Rins lurking. Meanwhile, with the same two, and a suit from Yamaha corporate, pronouncing the Yamaha program “embarrassing” it may be that a familiar name, a Jarvis or a Maragalli, may be shown the door in the foreseeable future. Having the two factory Yamaha riders starting the Austrian Grand Prix in 11th and 14th places is unacceptable. And since it’s both of them, it pretty much has to be the bike which, at this point, would have trouble beating the 2016 iteration of itself.

If the Standings were Closer, the Race Would Have Been Better

As expected, Marc Marquez and the two factory Ducatis fought it out the entire race.

Going into the race holding a 49-point advantage over a struggling Valentino Rossi, everyone knew Marquez could crash out of the race and still enjoy a meaningful lead. At the same time, Marquez had been nursing some hurt feelings since he got punked at the flag last year by Dovizioso. Not to mention that Red Bull Ring is one of increasingly few venues where #93 hasn’t won in the premier class. So, we found ourselves at the start watching the expected lead group of Dovizioso, Lorenzo and Marquez take shape and remain largely intact all day.

Most of the day was spent watching Marquez deal with the Ducati double-team. As per usual, Marquez was faster in the tighter sectors of the track, while Dovi and JLo had a major advantage in the straights. By Lap 19, while Lorenzo and Marquez were taking turns going through on one another, Dovizioso ran hot and wide into Turn 1 and lost touch with the two Spaniards. For the two riders who will wear Repsol Honda colors together for the next two seasons, it was suddenly High Noon, Mittag to the locals, with ten laps to go. And away they went.

Marc Marquez put in a strong effort but Jorge Lorenzo once again put Ducati on the top step of the Red Bull Ring podium.

Finally, with three laps left, both riders rolled up their sleeves, exposing their matching Multiple World Champion tattoos. Lorenzo, with soft tires front and rear, saved enough of them to have plenty of grip late in the day. Marquez, who had gone medium/hard, had plenty of grip but not enough grunt. He tried one last block pass in Turn 10 of the last lap, but Lorenzo anticipated the move, skirted it, and kept enough drive to beat Marquez to the line. A sweet win for Lorenzo. Marquez’ small disappointment at having missed the top step of the podium today was tempered by his adding another 10 points to his 2018 championship lead, which now stands at 59.

Here and There

From Mugello to Red Bull Ring (6 Rounds)

Rider

Points

Marc Marquez

106

Valentino Rossi

86

Jorge Lorenzo

114

Andrea Dovizioso

83

Maverick Viñales

54

Cal Crutchlow was happy to break a small personal string today. Having finished 15th here in 2016 and 2017, he improved to a highly respectable fourth place. As Cal will tell you, Red Bull Ring is his least favorite circuit, tied with 17 others not named Silverstone, and so he never really expects to do all that well here.

2019 Promotions

Jorge Martín will move up to Moto2 with Red Bull KTM Ajo, filling the spot vacated by Miguel Oliveira, on his way to MotoGP with KTM Tech 3.

Pecco Bagnaia will join MotoGP with Pramac Racing in 2019.

Joan Mir will move up to join MotoGP Team Suzuki Ecstar as a teammate to Álex Rins in 2019.

KTM is the Ducati of Moto3. High top end, not as nimble as the Honda. And is Marco Bezzecchi not the second coming of Marco Simoncelli? Tall-ish, rockstar haircut, exuberant, aggressive and Italian to the core. Nice win for him today on home turf. Pecco Bagnaia showed again why he’s earned a Pramac Ducati seat for 2019 in a 20-lap showdown with KTM’s Miguel Oliveira, the last five of which were riveting, the last two turns of which were a replay of Marquez and Dovizioso in 2017. Wait a minute. Perhaps Bagnaia is the second coming of Simoncelli…

Marco Bezzecchi outlasted Enea Bastianini to win the Moto3 race, reminding the author of another Marco.

MV Agusta returns to grand prix racing in 2019 in Moto2 building bikes for Forward Racing. Moto2 will adopt the new Triumph inline triple 765cc which will be, if not faster, sexier-sounding. All throaty. It wouldn’t surprise me if Honda’s 600cc four-banger outperforms the larger Triumph, which may say as much about me as it does the British factory.

These rankings have more or less coalesced of late. Either that or I’m losing interest in them. Audience participation is welcomed.

Two weeks to Silverstone. The championship may, in fact, have already been decided for 2018. But as today showed, there is still plenty of high quality racing going on at the great tracks of the world. And Red Bull Ring, too.

And in those days, it was all about the heavy cruisers, and the heavier the better – which the manufacturers assured us would inherit the earth. In truth, most of them were either driven from the temple, or transmogrified into something like Suzuki’s current M109R BOSS, which is more sportbike than chromeboy cruiser, and packs an even bigger, 1783cc V-twin.
——————————————————————————————–

First Impression: 1998 Intruder VL1500LC

Last of the Big Boys

By MO StaffMar. 19, 1998

Photos by Billy Bartels and Tom Riles

American Suzuki recently invited us to a showdown in Tombstone, Arizona to introduce their brand new giganto-cruiser, the Intruder VL1500LC. A dozen desperate hombres were rounded up in Old Tucson, packin’ as much heat as they could muster.

We were shown the beast that was to be our mount, and we shuddered to think what kind of day it was to be.

Before the Suzuki fellas let us mount up they wanted to tell us about the new beasts, just so we knew what we were getting ourselves into. We learned that the new VL1500LC is loosely based on the VL1400 Intruder.

Providing monstrous and ever-present torque is a 96x101mm v-twin powerplant with single over-head cams and hydraulic lash adjusters for less engine maintenance. An extra flywheel has been added for more low-end grunt, and the cylinders have been plated (as on their sportbikes) for better durability.

In a major re-work, the fuel tank has been placed beneath the seat. Taking its place between suspiciously fuel tank-looking covers is a massive airbox feeding two linked Mikuni 36mm carbs. As a result, the battery, which formerly resided underneath the seat, now sits in front of the motor.

All of the handlebar wires and cables funnel into a scoop atop the headlight cell.

Behind the right side casing that looks like the air-cleaner is an air-injection system to aid carburetion. On the left, under a slightly fiddly chromed side cover is the toolkit, which you’ll need to use in order to remove the right side cover that hides where you add engine oil.After sitting through all that technical hoo-ha, we couldn’t wait to toss a leg over the bike. It could have been the dimensions, or perhaps the light, but it felt even bigger than it looked.

The final word isn’t in, but it appears to be the longest bike in its class.

The bulbous, incognito fuel cell.

Despite the low 27.6 inch seat height, shorter riders may have a problem with its massive girth and long reach to the floorboards.The Intruder LC cruises comfortably along at 80+ miles per hour. Although not mounted with a stock windshield, the front end pushes so much air that you almost don’t need one.

The LC (which stands for Legendary Classic) is most comfortable around 75 mph. Before our visit, we heard a lot of hype that this beast is a massive torque monster.

“Well, you can believe the hype. Gear selection is simply a matter of how much vibration you can handle and how much gas you want to burn. Down shifting for a pass is usually unnecessary.”

Skipping off the Interstate, we rode the beasts south down Highway 83 to Sonoita. Here we found the twisties. Not floorboard grinders (although we did throw a few sparks coming off the freeway) but sweeping blacktop, one corner after another.It was there that we discovered some minor hiccups with the transmission: The LC occasionally missed shifts.

This glitch, coupled with the racer-boy clutch that fully disengaged after about ½ of an inch in, forced us to give the tranny a thumbs down.

At Sonoita, we made a turn east down Route 82. This road has seen more than its share of semis over the years, and it shows, with ripples for most of the 30 miles to Tombstone. The hidden link-type rear shock and the 41mm forks did a respectable job keeping our kidneys intact. Somewhere rolling down this lost highway the fuel light began to blink. Mind you, there is no reserve. Luckily, when it starts blinking, you have almost 35 miles to reach the next watering hole.

Rolling into the infamous little town of Tombstone, the exhaust announced our arrival with a muted basso rumble that resonated down the street.

However, after the battering we took on the highway and with what looked like armed gunslingers prowling the streets, we had no desire to rumble.After some terrific chow at the Nellie Cashman Restaurant, we roamed the streets of Tombstone on foot. It turned out that the roaming gunslingers were in reality actors passing out flyers for an upcoming $3 “shootout” at the O.K. Corral. And all those cool looking dry goods stores and grain emporiums were actually gift shops. Heading back to the Intruder we couldn’t help but notice a similarity. Covers and hidden components clothe the brutal beauty of the LC with a cosmetic shroud of theme-tinged nostalgia rather than allowing it to let it all hang out as does, for example, Honda with the strong-selling Valkyrie.

But back on the road priorities fell back into perspective as the torquey v-twin pulled strongly into the sunset. With its competence as a road going mount and its less than $10,000.00 retail price, the Intruder VL1500LC will be a hard bargain to match.

Some of these are way too easy, and some of them are pretty easy. Answering a couple others correctly will have required you to pay more attention over the years than you apparently have to your expanding waistline, and at least one of them you can’t get wrong. Rememember to keep your eyes on your own paper, and that the visual aids are not always there to aid you. Alright, let’s begin. (Lead photo courtesy Alls Wallenda that Ends Wallenda)

]]>http://blog.motorcycle.com/2018/08/10/racing/mees-texter-redemption-black-hills-half-mile/
http://blog.motorcycle.com/2018/08/10/racing/mees-texter-redemption-black-hills-half-mile/#respondFri, 10 Aug 2018 23:48:51 +0000Press Releasehttp://blog.motorcycle.com/?p=77393Mees and Texter Were Out for Redemption at the Black Hills Half-MileThe Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is currently going on this week if you haven’t noticed yet by now, and that means all things motorcycle. There were two American Flat Track races: the Buffalo Chip TT and the Black Hills Half-Mile, which is the fastest half-mile on the AFT circuit. The TT wrapped up with less than […] more]]>

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is currently going on this week if you haven’t noticed yet by now, and that means all things motorcycle. There were two American Flat Track races: the Buffalo Chip TT and the Black Hills Half-Mile, which is the fastest half-mile on the AFT circuit. The TT wrapped up with less than ideal results for some, but proved to be surprisingly awesome for others. Jared Mees and Shayna Texter fell into the former category, but sought out redemption at the Black Hills Half-Mile, and got it.

AFT:

RAPID CITY, SD – August 8, 2018 – It certainly didn’t take long. Reigning Grand National Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle Rogers Racing SDI Scout FTR750) only had to stew on a rare defeat for two days before reasserting his position atop the American Flat Track pecking order with Tuesday night’s triumph at the Harley-Davidson Black Hills Half-Mile presented by Law Tigers Motorcycle Lawyers in Rapid City, S.D.

The AFT Twins presented by Vance & Hines victory didn’t come easily, however, ranking as perhaps Mees’ most hard-fought and hard-earned of the season. It was ultimately taken by a scant 0.032 seconds following an epic heavyweight battle with Jeffrey Carver Jr. (No. 23 Roof-Systems of Dallas/Indian of Metro Milwaukee Scout FTR750), one of just two riders to have beaten Mees straight up in 2018.

The pair threw everything they had at one another over the course of 25 laps, utilizing multiple lines, creative overtakes and an abundance of aggression. Mees established control of the lead over the final handful of laps and managed to just hold Carver at bay despite one final strike that fell a half-a-bike-length short at the checkered flag.

The win was Mees’ 10th in 13 races this season. With five races remaining on the season slate, he’s already equaled the tally that carried him to a lopsided championship win in 2017. It also stood as the 26th Half-Mile victory of his career, moving him into a tie with Will Davis for second most in AFT history.

After winning his dogfight with Carver, Mees said, “Oh man, it was a fantastic race… I didn’t feel the strongest earlier on, but during the Heat and Semi we showed some good speed. I knew the Main was going to be tough. Carver is always fast, but he seemed to struggle a little in the Semi, so I was expecting to battle with some other guys in the Main. But Carver got a good start and he was riding so good. It was everything I could do pull the win off today. It felt good. To win ’em this close is awesome.”

Former champion Bryan Smith (No. 4 Indian Motorcycle Racing backed by Allstate Scout FTR750) rounded out the podium in third, marking a superb return to action after sitting out Sunday’s Buffalo Chip TT while still on the mend from injury.

Earlier in the evening, 2015 AFT Singles champion Davis Fisher looked like a strong bet to finally bag his first career AFT Twins podium and perhaps even contend for the win… that is, prior to suffering a spectacular crash while attempting a huge celebratory wheelie moments after winning Semi 2. His No. 67 Double D Performance/Bob Lanphere/RMR Indian Scout FTR750 flipped over backwards, causing massive damage to the machine and leaving Fisher and crew scrambling ahead of the Main. He managed to regroup well enough to finish a memorable evening with a seventh-place performance in the Main.

Mees is rapidly closing in on a second consecutive Grand National Championship. Thanks to racking up a quick 45 points in this year’s 78th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally doubleheader, he now leads Henry Wiles (No. 17 Bandit Industries/Wilco Racing/Willy Built Indian Scout FTR750) by 102 points with just 125 points left in play.

AFT Singles

Texter, who claimed Husqvarna’s first-ever American Flat Track win earlier this season, added a second victory with a smooth and calculated performance at Black Hills Speedway. Unlike last year’s 15 laps of fury at the venue in which seven AFT Singles contenders finished within a second of the win, Texter and 2016 class champ Ryan Wells (No. 94 RMR/Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda CRF450) quickly turned this year’s edition into a two-rider showdown at the front. And with five laps to go, Texter transformed it into a solo affair with a late escape to take the checkered flag first for the 13th time in her AFT Singles career.

The triumph was well-timed for Texter, who was in need of a top performance after failing to advance out of the heat races in Sunday’s Buffalo Chip TT.

“The Buffalo Chip was a little bit of a struggle for me,” Texter said, “but I came out swinging today. Hats off to my entire team, Husqvarna Motorcycles, Roof Systems of Dallas, Texas, Parts Unlimited, and all the fans who came out tonight. I really appreciate your support. I want to send a special shout out to Parker Norris and Brad Baker. I know you guys are watching, and we can’t wait until you get back out here.”

Wells came home clear in second, while title leader Dan Bromley (No. 62 KTM North America/Bromley Motorsports 450 SX-F) aced the winner’s brother Cory Texter (No. 65 CTR/Law Tigers Honda CRF450R) on the final lap to notch his 10th podium of the season. As a result of his consistent excellence, Bromley boasts a 49-point advantage over second-ranked Wells (230-181), with Texter third at 164.

Flat frack fans will not want to miss the Saturday evening primetime premier of the Buffalo Chip TT presented by Indian Motorcycle on NBCSN at 8:30 pm ET (5:30 pm PT) on Saturday, August 11. Then, just a week later, on August 18 at 5:00 pm ET (2:00 pm PT), catch all the action from tonight’s Black Hills Half-Mile on NBCSN, featuring flag-to-flag coverage of both Main Events enhanced by drone and onboard footage.

]]>http://blog.motorcycle.com/2018/08/10/racing/big-time-upsets-surprises-buffalo-chip-tt-flat-track-race/
http://blog.motorcycle.com/2018/08/10/racing/big-time-upsets-surprises-buffalo-chip-tt-flat-track-race/#respondFri, 10 Aug 2018 21:47:12 +0000Press Releasehttp://blog.motorcycle.com/?p=77387Big Time Upsets and a Few Surprises at the Buffalo Chip TT Flat Track RaceThe Buffalo Chip TT during Sturgis bike week has become one of the most exciting and anticipated races of the year, and this year proved no different. Finally someone was able to knock Indian’s Jared Mees off the top step of the podium. That man was Jake Johnson, and Mees was forced to settle for […] more]]>

The Buffalo Chip TT during Sturgis bike week has become one of the most exciting and anticipated races of the year, and this year proved no different. Finally someone was able to knock Indian’s Jared Mees off the top step of the podium. That man was Jake Johnson, and Mees was forced to settle for second. In the AFT Singles class, off-road champion Ryan Sipes came out of nowhere to lead from wire to wire and win the Singles race in incredible fashion. His off-road and motocross skills helped him get over the track’s jump in an unconventional way, faster than any other rider.

AFT:

STURGIS, SD – August 6, 2018 – Jake Johnson delivered a virtuoso performance to reign supreme in front of a wildly enthusiastic crowd of Sturgis Rallygoers who packed the house for Sunday evening’s Buffalo Chip TT presented by Indian Motorcycle, Round 12 of 18 of the 2018 American Flat Track championship.

Mees inherited the lead after last year’s Buffalo Chip winner Briar Bauman (No. 14 Zanotti Racing Kawasaki Ninja 650) crashed and collected second-placed Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 Harley-Davidson Factory Flat Track Team XG750R). Mees appeared to have a clear path to his 10th victory of the season, but Johnson chased him down and overhauled him with relative ease at about the halfway point in the 25-lap Main.

From there J.J. controlled the contest en route to his fifth career TT victory. Mees narrowly held second, being forced to defend the position from Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Harley-Davidson Factory Flat Track Team XG750R) to the checkered flag.

Johnson couldn’t have asked for a better environment to return to the top of the podium. In only its second year, the Buffalo Chip TT furthered its near-instantaneous claim as one of the genuine destination events on the AFT calendar. Some 10,000 raucous fans again jammed the fences around the purpose-built TT circuit laid out on the fabled Buffalo Chip Campgrounds to lend the evening a rock concert-like atmosphere.

And that was fitting, because the race action effectively served as the ultimate opening act for Theory of a Deadman, who took to the stage immediately following the podium ceremonies to keep a memorable Sunday at the 78th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally rocking late into the night.

Johnson, AFT’s undisputed rock star of the evening, said, “I got a bad start and thought my night was over as soon as the green light went. Still, I was patient. There were guys jamming and crashing up front. But after I caught Jared, I couldn’t wait. The door opened and I had to take it. Luckily I was able to put some good laps in and get a bit of breathing room.

“I’m not going to lie,” Johnson added. “Those last five laps I was holding my breath. It’s been a long time since I’ve won one of these.” The victory was Johnson’s first since the opening weekend of the 2016 season. It was also his first aboard an Indian.

Despite the rare defeat, Mees continues to dominate the championship fight. His Sunday runner-up finish saw him open his points lead up to a head-shaking 85 points.

AFT Singles

Tourist Trophy races frequently provide an opportunity for specialists and series part-timers to shine, and Sunday’s undercard Main Event in the AFT Singles division was certainly no exception.

Sipes, a Supercross race winner and America’s first-ever ISDE overall winner, got the holeshot ahead of Lehmann and Frederickson, and it proved crucial. Lehmann hounded Sipes throughout, but the ex-motocrosser used his superior skills over the jump – pulling wheelies prior to each launch to keep his trajectory low – to build just enough of a gap to prevent Lehmann from mounting an assault for the lead. Sipes held the position to the flag, adding a Grand National Flat Track race victory to his extensive racing resume.

Motocross and off-road champion Ryan Sipes shocked the world with his wire-to-wire win at the Buffalo Chip TT.

Runaway title leader Dan Bromley (No. 62 KTM North America/Bromley Motorsports 450 SX-F) was the best of the championship contenders, finishing fourth. As a result his advantage now stands at a massive 52 points.

Conversely, the title hopes of Shayna Texter (No. 52 Husqvarna Motorcycles/JCS Racing FC 450) took a significant – if not entirely unexpected – hit at the Buffalo Chip. The continued TT difficulties of the class’ all-time winningest rider cost her yet again, as she failed to advance to the Main and scored no points on the evening.

Meanwhile, last year’s championship runner-up Brandon Price (No. 92 Parkinson Brothers Racing/DPC Racing Honda CRF450R) made his highly anticipated return to action on Sunday. Price was injured in a scary crash at the tour’s prior TT race in Springfield and missed five consecutive Main Events while on the mend. In what has to be considered a successful comeback effort, Price made his way to the Main where he finished 10th. Despite his considerable layoff, he continues to rank seventh in the points.

For a thoroughly in-depth experience with flag-to-flag coverage of both Main Events enhanced by drone and onboard footage, be sure to catch the feature telecast of the Buffalo Chip TT when it debuts on NBCSN at prime time on Saturday, August 11 at 8:30 pm ET (5:30 pm PT).

Be sure to catch the NBCSN’s feature coverage of the Black Hills Half-Mile premiering on August 18 at 5:00 pm ET (2:00 pm PT) on NBCSN.

Kawasaki announced a number of updates to the 2019 Ninja H2 and Ninja H2 Carbon, making the supercharged engine more powerful, while maintaining the same fuel efficiency as the previous iteration. While Kawasaki USA hasn’t released any power figures for the H2, its European counterpart claims a substantial increase from 197.3 hp to 227.8 hp. We’ll have to wait to see if the North American-spec version gets the same boost. The 2019 Ninja H2R also receives some updates, though its engine remains unchanged.

The increase in power for the H2 and H2 Carbon comes from a new air filter, intake chamber, spark plugs and ECU developed from the H2 SX. Notably, the H2 and H2R did not receive the SX’s balanced supercharger which was designed more for low to mid-range performance.

The 2019 H2 and H2R models also receive Brembo’s new Stylema monoblock calipers. The radial-mount four-piston Stylemas are smaller and lighter than Brembo’s previous calipers, while claiming improved heat management. On the H2 and H2R models, they are paired with 330mm rotors, with Kawasaki’s KIBS ABS.

The H2 and H2 Carbon also receive new Bridgestone Battlax RS11 sport tires (the H2R is staying with the Battlax V01 rubbers).

The H2 and H2R inherit the SX’s TFT screen with the addition of smartphone connectivity.

All three models receive the color TFT screen first introduced on the H2 SX, offering four display modes, self-adjusting brightness and a choice of black or white background.

The H2 and H2 Carbon also receive smartphone connectivity. The H2’s screen will display incoming calls and messages while a proprietary phone app shares vehicle information with smartphones such as fuel level, odometer, trip meter, maintenance schedule and battery condition, as well as riding telemetry including GPS tracking, speed, engine speed, gear position and fuel mileage.

The app can also be used to display and adjust the bike’s electronic settings. A rider can preset the engine modes and quick shifter settings using the app, and as soon as the phone is within range and the engine is turned on, the changes will automatically be implemented.

The H2 and H2R models all receive a new paint treatment on all non-carbon bodywork parts. The new paint includes a special top coat that Kawasaki claims is self healing, repairing some minor wear and tear. The top coat contains microscopic hard and soft segments Kawasaki says acts like a chemical spring, absorbing any small impacts. The self-healing does have limits however. Some repairs can take more than a week to recover, and it will not work on some scratches such as those caused by keys or zippers.

The H2 and H2 Carbon receive new all-LED lighting.

The 2019 Kawasaki Ninja H2 will be offered in Mirror Coated Spark Black while the H2 Carbon will come in Mirror Coated Matte Spark Black/Golden Blazed Green. The H2R will come in Mirror Coated Matte Spark Black. US pricing remains to be announced.

The 2019 Kawasaki Ninja H2R receives the new Stylema calipers and self-healing paint.

By all accounts, the American Flat Track event that winds through the infamous Buffalo Chip campground in Sturgis has become one of the series’ most spectatable races – and they’re all pretty dang spectacular. All the races air a week or two later (or you can livestream them), so it’s a good thing AFT flies slightly below the radar for now. I don’t know who won the BCTT last week, and don’t tell me. No spoilers!

The Buffalo Chip TT, which happens during the Chip resort’s unique celebration of music and motorcycle culture, is a race unlike any other. There’s the built-in-a-day racetrack with a massive jump snaking around the legendary amphitheater, with thousands of fans lining the circuit.

There’s also some of the most intense racing action anywhere, with a number of AFT Twins and AFT Singles competitors shaking things up in a big way. Let’s just say there were not one but two surprise winners that evening.

Featuring on-bike footage along with cameras that captured every tire-spinning corner exit, jump launch, crash and critical moment, the Buffalo Chip TT premiere on NBCSN Saturday evening promises to be as riveting as the Buffalo Chip TT race itself … as the 10,000-plus screaming fans in attendance will attest.

Don’t miss what’s arguably the most exciting racing of the 2018 American Flat Track season!

Tune in to all the action on NBCSN Saturday, August 11 at 8:30 pm ET (5:30 pm PT).

How to Watch:

NBCSN and FansChoice.tv are the official homes for coverage of American Flat Track. For the 2018 season, NBCSN’s coverage of AFT moves to highly-coveted, weekend afternoon programming slots within two weeks of each event. The complete schedule for AFT on NBCSN can be viewed at http://www.americanflattrack.com/events-nbcsn/. FansChoice.tv remains a cornerstone of AFT’s digital strategy, providing live streaming coverage of every event on AFT’s live page while previous events and exclusive features are available on AFT’s VOD page.

About American Flat Track:American Flat Track is the world’s premier dirt track motorcycle racing series and one of the longest-running championships in the history of motorsports. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing in Daytona Beach, Fla., the series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track motorcycle racing on the globe. For more information on American Flat Track, please visit http://www.americanflattrack.com, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, check us out on Instagram, live stream the events at FansChoice.tv and catch all the American Flat Track racing action on NBCSN.

]]>http://blog.motorcycle.com/2018/08/10/manufacturers/ducati/2018-ducati-panigales-hypermotard-affected-brembo-recall/
http://blog.motorcycle.com/2018/08/10/manufacturers/ducati/2018-ducati-panigales-hypermotard-affected-brembo-recall/#respondFri, 10 Aug 2018 17:11:19 +0000Dennis Chunghttp://blog.motorcycle.com/?p=773682018 Ducati Panigales and Hypermotard Affected by Brembo RecallBrembo is currently going through it second significant recall of the year, this time affecting rear brake pads. This follows a recall in January for front radial master cylinders. As with the earlier recall, the new brake pad recall affects parts installed as stock equipment on brand new motorcycles from a number of manufacturers, in […] more]]>

As with the earlier recall, the new brake pad recall affects parts installed as stock equipment on brand new motorcycles from a number of manufacturers, in addition to pads sold as part of aftermarket kits.

The first OEM to confirm a related recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is Ducati, affecting the 2018 Panigale V4, 959 Panigale, 1299 Panigale FE and Hypermotard. The recall affects 72 units in the U.S.

According to the recall documentation released by NHTSA, the friction material (i.e. the part that contacts the rotors) may not stick properly to the backing plates. As a result, the friction material may separate from the plate, resulting in a drop in rear brake efficiency and increase in stopping distance.

The faulty pads all stem from a single batch, identified as batch #672, manufactured by one of Brembo’s suppliers, Federal Mogul Italy S.r.l. According to the recall documentation, the pads were subjected to a second thermal treatment that exposed them to higher temperatures than intended. The higher temperatures reduced the strength of the bond between the backing plate and friction material.

Ducati dealers will inspect the rear brake pads on affected motorcycles to see if they are marked as being from batch 672. If they are, then the dealer will replace the pads.

We expect other manufacturers to announce their own related recalls in the weeks ahead.

Recently, while riding the new 2019 Honda CB300R, I stopped and thought to myself how great a time it is to be a new motorcyclist. The field of entry-level motorcycles is stacked, with options to satisfy nearly every desire, whether you fancy a sportbike, a cruiser, or anything in between. Better still, nearly every manufacturer is building entry-level motorcycles at price points those on ramen diets can actually pay off – maybe even before they graduate. This got me thinking: Just how much motorcycle can a person get for under $5000? We’ve done similar lists before, but never with a cap so low. Plus, since affordable models are popping up frequently now, we thought it best to revisit the subject.

So, borrowing the Forbes Magazine idea of the Top 30 Under 30, wherein they highlight the top 30 leaders, entrepreneurs, and stars under 30 years of age, we bring you Motorcycle.com’s Top Five under $5000.

5. Benelli TnT135 $2649

If a fun city runabout is calling your name and you have no need to hop on the freeway, you’d be hard pressed to do better than the Benelli TnT135 (assuming there’s a dealer near you). Cut from the same mold as the Honda Grom ($3399), Kawasaki Z125 ($3399), etc., the 135 is not only less expensive than the Honda and Kawi, but we’d argue it’s a better motorcycle, too. Its 135cc engine is not only bigger than the Grom and baby Z by 10cc, it also features twin spark plugs and four valves. Better still, it also has a five-speed gearbox compared to the four-speeds on the others. Add in the handsome design clearly “inspired” (some might say stolen) from the MV Agusta Brutale, and you’ve got a cool little machine that packs performance and won’t put much of a dent on your wallet.

4. BMW G310R $4750

If you’ve always fancied owning a BMW (car or motorcycle) but believed they were out of your price range, allow the G310R to change your mind. This fun little roadster is powered by a 313cc Single and is delivered with the fit and finish we’ve come to expect from a premium brand like BMW – all for under five large. An inverted fork and Brembo-designed brakes are items even some big bikes lack, and having that BMW logo on the tank is sure to inspire at least a little pride in ownership. If more adventure-type riding is your thing, the G310GS is largely the same basic package with a more off-road tilt. However, it’s $5695 price tag disqualifies it from this list.

3.Honda CB300R $4649 (and variants)

For the longest time, the two choices you had when it came to entry-level motorcycles were the original Kawasaki Ninja 250 (or EX250 for the purists) and the Honda Rebel. Both might have looked attractive when they were new (though that’s also debatable), but after two decades new riders wanted to graduate out of those ugly bikes as soon as possible. With the 2019 Honda CB300R, the Neo Sports Cafe styling (Honda’s term, not ours) looks sharp and modern. To us, it’s a motorcycle design that will easily hold up to the next five or ten years. Its 286cc Single might feel anemic to heavier or experienced riders, but its featherlight curb weight hovering just over 300 lbs means the little engine isn’t pushing much.

If the CB300R doesn’t catch your fancy, Honda has other variants all worthy of this list, like the CBR300R ($4699), CB300F ($4349), and even the Honda Rebel 300 ($4449) for those wanting a cruiser and who value being able to customize to their heart’s content.

2. Yamaha YZF-R3 $4999

There’s lots to like about the Yamaha YZF-R3. It’s light, it’s nimble, and it’s equally at home running about the city as it is scooting along a racetrack. The 321cc parallel-Twin is a spritely little engine with plenty of pop for those wanting something more than what the Honda’s 286cc engine offers. It won’t leave you feeling like a sitting duck in traffic, and its narrow stature makes it easy to slice and dice through the urban jungle. Should you also want to learn how to drag your knee on the ground, the R3 is the perfect learning tool for doing that, too. Had we written this list a year ago the R3 would have been at the top of our list. However, that distinction now belongs to…

1. Kawasaki Ninja 400 (non-ABS) $4999

Long story short, for under $5000 it doesn’t get much better than the Kawasaki Ninja 400. Technically you would need to get the non-ABS version to qualify for the sub-$5000 prize, but we’ve heard from actual owners who have told us they were able to walk out of the dealership floor with an ABS model for under $5k. Either way, we’re smitten with the Ninja 400. How Kawasaki are able to produce such a potent and fun small-displacement motorcycle for this price point is beyond us. What we do know is the 399cc parallel-Twin has enough power to keep experienced riders entertained, but it’s gentle enough not to scare newbs. New riders will also be happy to know it’s easy to touch the ground from the saddle, and all the traits we said the Yamaha R3 excels at, the Ninja 400 does even better. It’s crazy how good this motorcycle is.

Honorable Mentions

Whittling down this list to just five bikes was difficult, especially because there are some models that are a hair above the $5k threshold. Not mentioning them wouldn’t be fair, so in case you’re curious, here are three that almost made the cut.

Royal Enfield Himalayan $4499

Technically, at $4499, the Royal Enfield Himalayan qualifies for this list. When Burns, Brent, and Ryan rode the RE down to Mexico and back they were pleasantly surprised by the Indian bike’s performance. At 411cc, the Single cylinder in the Himalayan is the largest here, but it’s still a bit antiquated compared to the rest. That said, it wasn’t much of an underdog during our Three Amigos test. Its biggest issue, however, is a faulty transmission that refused to engage first gear by the end of the trip. Those kinds of reliability concerns are a big setback, and ultimately kept the Himalayan off our list. However, if you’re handy with a set of tools and want something completely different in the little adventure bike category, the RE is an option.

Kawasaki Versys-X 300 $5399

The winner of our Three Amigos adventure bike test, the Kawasaki Versys-X 300 comes in above our price cutoff, but is worth mentioning if you’re able to spend a little more and want something off-road capable. It’s a shame the Ninja 400 engine doesn’t power the X (though we can’t imagine it’ll be that way for long), but the prior Ninja 300 Twin performs admirably pushing bike and rider along. It’s got the fine fit and finish we expect from Kawasaki, and bigger/taller riders should also feel right at home on it.

KTM 390 Duke $5299

This one was particularly hard to keep off the list, but the rules are the rules, and the KTM 390 Duke’s $5299 asking price was too much. That said, we adore the 390 Duke equally as much as the Ninja 400. If a sportbike isn’t your thing, the 390 Duke is a fantastic alternative. Its styling looks great and is matched by an equally responsive chassis/suspension combination. Niceties like ride-by-wire and full TFT display are simply things you don’t see in this price range, so its inclusion on the KTM is impressive. The 373cc Thumper is a fun and lively engine, though we’re still leery about its reliability. KTM is said to have addressed the issues related to the engine, and trusted sources we know claim the updates aren’t just fluff. If true, we’d rate the 390 Duke as tied with the Ninja 400 as our dual favorite motorcycles in the sub-$5500 category. Over the course of a loan, $300 extra is basically nothing.

For a long time, I didn’t get the adventure boot thing. They’re not off-road boots, nor are they purely street/touring boots. Adventure boots are a combination of the two, though they tend to resemble their off-road counterparts. After putting more than 1,500 miles in the Sidi Adventure 2 adventure boots, I get it. They’re not trying to be motocross boots, and they can be more versatile in certain situations than street-biased footwear.

As with any piece of gear or motorcycle, it can be hard to find one tool for every job. Adventure boots are crafted to offer the same versatility found in adventure motorcycles, on– and off-road capability, and comfortable touring while still being practical enough for daily use.

Comfort/Fit

The Sidi Adventure 2 boot is exceedingly comfortable straight out of the box. In the past, Italian brands, including Sidi, had been known to fit narrow. That is not the case with any of the three Sidi boots I have recently tested. I have a regular width foot and the Adventure 2 fits perfectly with enough wiggle room for my foot to move slightly or for a thicker sock.

Walking in these boots is also a comfortable task. After using these boots during a 1000-mile ride – which included walking through towns to grab food, hopping back on the bike, stopping for photos and walking on trails – I have absolutely no complaints in the comfort department. The lugged sole provides ample grip on or off of the bike and the insole is comfortable from the beginning. The only gripe I could have is that they are warm in the summer due to the Gore-Tex liner not allowing any airflow, but that’s a function of waterproofing.

On the outside, the hinge point on the inner and outer ankle help to allow your foot to move only in the way it should while providing resistance to over extension. The soft full-grain microfiber that the boot is made up of also breaks in nicely without showing much aging or wear. Along the inner side of both boots, you will find leather paneling to help better grip the bike while standing.

The large gusseted opening allows for easy on/off of the boot.

The large gusseted opening coupled with the stretch fabric at the back of the calf make getting in and out of these boots easy, and the two straps with cam lock style buckles keep the boot snugged up around your foot and ankle.

Protection

The outside of the Adventure 2 is mostly comprised of microfiber and hard plastic TPU components. Microfiber has similar characteristics to genuine leather, though it’s not affected by aging in the same ways. It is lighter than leather, and, most importantly, it offers higher abrasion resistance, tensile strength, and tear resistance compared to leather. Microfiber is also breathable, which allows the Gore-Tex membrane to work the way it should.

The plastic TPU parts found at the heel to midfoot and on the shin provide protection in the areas most likely to be impacted during a crash. The ankle flex system provides support behind the ankle while being connected to the hinge. Raised plastic bits are also found near the lower buckle to help protect the closure in the event of a lowside.

Weatherproof

Gore-Tex is the waterproofing of choice on the Sidi Adventure 2 and we are glad to have it. The Gore-Tex liner can be seen as the silver material inside the boot, which comes up just three inches shy of the top of the boot giving you 11 inches from the ground of waterproof, breathable protection from the elements.

I have no doubt that if using a thicker winter boot sock, these boots could keep you comfortable well into fall and winter temperatures.

I’m happy using the Spidi Adventure 2 for just about any kind of riding. That being said, if I know the plan is to spend most of a ride off-road, I will opt for a stiffer boot like the Crossfire 3.

From the moment I slipped the Sidi Adventure 2 boots on, the whole adventure boot thing started making sense. Now that I have spent thousands of miles wearing them, it makes even more sense. Are they the boot I would grab if most of my adventure riding was going to be done off-road? Nope. I would opt for a stiffer off-road boot like the Crossfire 3. Are they the boot I would choose for just about anything else? Absolutely.

The announcement came with a 10-second teaser clip with a brief glimpse of the Scrambler 1200 in action.

What little we see does match what we saw from the spy photos, including some fairly knobby-looking tires. The earlier spy photos showed Pirelli rubbers on a 21-inch front wheel that has its wire spokes attaching to the edges of the rim, suggesting they support tubeless tires.

Triumph makes some bold claims about the Scrambler 1200, touting its off-road capabilities:

A brand new Triumph modern classic is set to create a riding revolution with a whole new benchmark for what makes a scrambler great.

The Scrambler 1200 marks the birth of a stunning new motorcycle generation. With never-before-seen levels of dual-purpose capability, this incredible full-on scrambler is as truly amazing off-road as it is on the road, doing everything an adventure bike can, and all with authentic scrambler style and attitude.

Because of the unprecedented worldwide interest in this next generation motorcycle, we’ve decided to release a series of exclusive insights into this genuine game-changer well in advance of its official launch.

Our spy photographer captured two prototypes in action, with some visual differences between them. This may be a case of Triumph testing various setups but it may also be a sign there could be two versions in the works.

We’ll know for certain on Oct. 24, when the 2019 Triumph Scrambler 1200 makes its debut. Interestingly, the launch date would put the Scrambler 1200 after Intermot and AIMEXPO, which means the first big motorcycle show that will show it will likely be EICMA in November.

]]>http://www.motorcycle.com/products/ez-adv-upgrades-helping-katoom-breath-freer-cleaner
http://www.motorcycle.com/products/ez-adv-upgrades-helping-katoom-breath-freer-cleaner#respondWed, 08 Aug 2018 21:25:14 +0000Ryan Adamshttp://www.motorcycle.com/?post_type=product&p=79152EZ ADV Upgrades: Helping the Katoom Breathe Freer and CleanerFor this four-part series, we take a look at five easy bolt-on parts that will transform your ADV bike from a Starbucks-destined road queen, to a Dakar-ready more]]>

For this four-part series, we take a look at five easy bolt-on parts that will transform your ADV bike from a Starbucks-destined road queen, to a Dakar-ready desert blasting rally winner. Or something like that. This series is designed to show how much of a difference a few well-thought-out adventure bike upgrades can make to the off-road prowess of your big ADV bike.

Rottweiler Performance is a well-known name in the adventure bike segment. Hell, that’s probably an understatement. Top adventure riders such as Chris Birch and Quinn Cody run Rottweiler Intake Systems on their bikes, and the brand’s name can be found in nearly every corner of the adventure bike universe, that is, as long as you’re looking at KTMs. Currently, Rottweiler Performance only builds kits and sells parts for KTM and some Husqvarna models, due to the crossover between the brands, which has allowed Rottweiler to become highly specialized in its craft of creating expertly tuned intake kits among other items that drastically change the way the KTMs function.

The Rottweiler Performance Stage 4 Intake Kit is part three of our four part series of performance upgrades that can vastly change the capability of your adventure bike. We opted to include the Rottweiler system due to the relatively easy install and to show that dropping weight and gaining engine performance from your adventure bike isn’t as daunting as some might think. Sure it’s a little more involved than having a dealer throw on new tires for you, but with my limited mechanical skill, I had no issues.

About the company

Rottweiler Performance started like any other high-performance adventure-focused fabrication shop, with a love story. Owner/founder Chris Parker met his wife in Mexico pre-running the Baja 1000, fell in love with her, and began what would be a two year process of getting her into the good ol’ US of A. Chris got tired of driving his truck 200 miles south of the border constantly and decided he’d be better equipped to make the trip more fun and faster on a motorcycle. So, Chris picked up his first street bike. It was lust at first sight (as you can tell, Chris is a bit of a romantic) when Parker laid eyes on a 2008 KTM Super Duke 990.

Chris Parker began slowly turning away business from his previous company, CPR Fabrications, to work full-time on Rottweiler Performance. Singer Porsche is the only account Chris still works with outside of Rottweiler’s core business, simply due to the fact that retaining that account, where Chris builds world-class exhausts for Porsches, helped during the switch and has continued to grow as Rottweiler performance has.

As we often do, Parker got a little bored with the motorcycle and began tinkering with the 990. Chris’s background lies mostly in automobile racing and fabrication. Beginning with little things like building Pike’s Peak record holding race cars, running prominent off-road race teams, fabricating exhaust and intake systems for GTP and Indy cars, and ultimately opening his own high-end race-oriented fabrication shop, CPR Fabrications. CPR’s primary focus having been on intake and exhaust systems, this is where Chris would focus his efforts with his new venture.

The 990 chris bought reminded him of a big burly dog, what kind of dog? A Rottweiler.

Parker had plenty of fabrication experience and also gained extensive knowledge from some very talented engineers who he was able to glean information from over the years. While some folks throw bolt-on parts at their bikes and call it custom, Chris was more interested in the performance to be gained and developed a prototype intake system for his 990, which when dyno’d, produced an 8 hp increase, a substantial performance boost. A customer Chris was building an adventure bike header for saw the prototype, and although Parker asked the guy to remain tight-lipped about the project, thankfully for all of us, he wasn’t. The news spread like wildfire throughout forums, and the deed was done.

In Chris’s words, “What started as lunch money making these kits on the weekend soon turned to rent money, and then slowly throughout the years it just became everything we did. We decided at one point, we’re going to make this business everything we do.”

The Product: Rottweiler Performance Stage 4 Intake Kit

The Stage 4 Intake kit from Rottweiler Performance is a kit of everything you need to completely replace the stock airbox and add two new fueling maps via the included Power Commander V.

We also received the SAS/Canister removal kit to shed extra weight and help the entire system to run at its optimum level (an off-highway/racing-only modification).

Essentially, what is being done with this kit is to entirely remove the stock airbox and emissions components, to save around 10 pounds of weight while optimizing engine performance through the intake system. KTM’s Adventure models have suffered intermittently since 2013 from a poor airbox seal that has allowed dust to make its way to the throttle bodies and possibly into the engine, which carries with it the potential to cause catastrophic engine failure. No bueno. The kit also puts those worries at bay when installed correctly.

Routine air filter maintenance on the big ol Adventure requires removing its 6.1-gallon tank to access the airbox.

Getting to the airbox in general on the newer KTM Adventure bikes is a bit of a hassle. Not because it’s difficult, but because it involves removing most of the plastic fairings on the bike as well as the gas tank, making a common maintenance item relatively time consuming. That being considered, I want to have an air filter that does its job and is easy to maintain when I do have to take all of that stuff off to do so.

After getting the tank off, the air box removal is a cakewalk. Rottweiler Performance’s YouTube channel has videos covering most of their products that will answer most questions and show you the process of the install. The emissions removal is a little tight getting to, but again, not difficult and is also covered in a separate video from Rottweiler. Removing the emissions system also frees up space for tools that the charcoal canister previously took up.

Rottweiler includes one machined billet velocity stack with its stage 2 and up intake kits. This is necessary due to the large foam element filter, a reduction in the height of the velocity stack was necessary, but only on the rear velocity stack. By reshaping the velocity stack with a 180 degree bell-mouth opening and altering the taper of the bore Rottweiler was able to achieve smoother induction flow characteristics as well as velocity, optimizing the added flow volume of its intake systems.

Getting the new system fitted is a cinch, mostly due to Chris’s thorough instructions and further supplemented by the installation videos. After mounting the new adapter plate, installing the rear machined-billet velocity stack and the stock front one, you’re able to easily put the new triple-layer foam open-box design filter on with quick-release fasteners that allow for easy removal for cleaning. The system also comes with the pre-filter; I have seen videos of these being pulled off thoroughly covered in dirt and dust, to reveal a perfectly clean filter element underneath. The way it should be.

In this picture, the pre-filter is installed over the open-box air filter element.

With the Stage 4 kit there are a few more steps than just the intake system, requiring you to route wiring for the Powercommander V, again everything is plug-and-play. The Stage 4 kit includes two maps in the Powercommander. One map is a full performance setting, giving you everything she’s got, captain, while the other map reverts to what Chris calls an economy setting, which is basically stock but tuned to work perfectly with the new filter.

Spray on filter oil is a must as the filter can not be removed from the plastic frame.

The entire procedure took me the good part of a day, though I spent time cleaning the motorcycle’s inner crevices as well as a few other things that I can’t really count against the install time. I would say the actual amount of time it took me to install the kit was 4-6 hours.

So how does it work?

Rottweiler Performance has kits available for big-bore adventure bikes, 500 EXCs, 1290 Super Duke Rs, and all sorts of models in between.

As soon as I rolled the bike out of the garage and fired her up, the first thing I thought was, awesome no error lights and that it started. Of course there shouldn’t be any error lights because, included in Chris’s pertinent kits are dongles to replace sensors that would otherwise throw error lights on the dash. All of the other sensors for problems in the engine and whatnot will still work, it’s only the emissions removal bits you have to block off with the dongles.

After giving the bike some time to warm up and giving her a few tugs on the throttle, you can hear the difference in intake noise, it’s much louder. I dig it. The sound is reminiscent of a trophy truck like the ones Chris used to build, only 100x quieter.

Unfortunately, installing the Rottweiler intake system doesn’t make maintenance any easier. The gas tank will still need to come off.

Riding the bike is a different experience prior to the install, the fuelling is smoothed out perfectly. From the smallest throttle openings, through the entire rev range to WOT, you get smooth power with torque spread out across it like buttah. Delicious. The kit really shines off-road when you’re getting on and off throttle. The KTM 1190 was by no means a poorly fueled motorcycle, but to now know how smooth it can be, that’s just a testament to Parker’s expert tuning skills.

The fact that I now no longer feel the need to worry about my engine sucking up dust is also a welcomed comfort. With so many stories of catastrophic engine failures due to dust getting past the OE air box, Rottweiler Performance’s intake systems have become known as the “fix” for this issue, a designation Chris likened to Star Trek, “Star Trek was never designed to be what it is today, it was the fans that made it into what it is.” Rottweiler’s intake system has always been, first and foremost, on their end, a performance product, but that’s not to say they don’t appreciate the business.

Chris’ operation currently consists of himself, his wife, Mariel, Dave (picture here with Chris), and one or two part-time employees.

When talking to Chris about the future of Rottweiler Performance, it’s clear the passion he has for this company, for his work, and for the industry. He is proud that Rottweiler has become the go-to for KTM performance products and is careful when considering branching out. “I’m a little bit nervous when branching out of KTM because I don’t want people to get the perception that we’re going to start spreading ourselves too thin and not be the experts that we’ve become on KTM products. I don’t want to do that until I know for a fact that we can do it right.”

To wrap up this series, next week we’ll take a look at Baja Designs’ Squadron Sport series lights because when you’re off-road on a big adventure bike at night, there’s no such thing as too much light.

]]>http://blog.motorcycle.com/2018/08/08/recall-2/2018-yamaha-mt-07-xsr700-recalled-loose-chain-guard/
http://blog.motorcycle.com/2018/08/08/recall-2/2018-yamaha-mt-07-xsr700-recalled-loose-chain-guard/#respondWed, 08 Aug 2018 18:21:20 +0000Dennis Chunghttp://blog.motorcycle.com/?p=773582018 Yamaha MT-07 and XSR700 Recalled for Loose Chain GuardYamaha is recall certain 2018 MT-07 and XSR700 models because the change guards attached to the swingarms may come loose. The recall affects 3,493 units in the U.S. As of this writing, the MT-07’s predecessor, the FZ-07, is not included in the recall, despite sharing a similar swingarm design. According to documents released by the […] more]]>

Yamaha is recall certain 2018 MT-07 and XSR700 models because the change guards attached to the swingarms may come loose. The recall affects 3,493 units in the U.S. As of this writing, the MT-07’s predecessor, the FZ-07, is not included in the recall, despite sharing a similar swingarm design.

According to documents released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the bolt fixing the chain guard to the swingarm make shake loose from vibrations while riding on rough roads. The bolt may completely come off, allowing the chain guard to detach and potentially contact the drive chain and break.

Yamaha Motor Corp. USA was first alerted to the problem by its parent company in Japan on July 9. The issue was first identified after a quality control review and testing of models to be exported from Japan.

Dealers will replace the chain guards retaining collars and the fastening bolts on recalled models.

Not to get political or anything, but it’s interesting to note in an it’s-a-small-world way, that the David Pecker in the news now is the same guy who made the call to kill off Cycle magazine in 1991. At the time, Pecker was CEO of Hachette magazines, which owned both Cycle and Cycle World, along with a bunch of other titles. (“Magazines” were large-format softbound books of about 100-200 pages which arrived in your mailbox, usually once a month.)

If you’re under 40 this means nothing to you, but at the time, a lot of readers were very upset and so were most of us who found ourselves out of a job when the USA’s leading source of motorcycle news was unceremoniously shut down. But according to then-Publisher Larry Little, it probably wasn’t a bad business decision: “Pecker was certainly the one who made the call, and while unpopular among all of us, the reality was that Ziff had grown the circ[ulation] in a very expensive and unsustainable way [Ziff-Davis had been the previous owner], and it was losing money when the ads went soft. Cycle World didn’t have anywhere near the bloat in circ, which is why it was smaller, and was still profitable.”

Pecker is now referred to as the king of the tabloids – think National Enquirer – and lately finds himself in hot water over his special relationship with President Donald Trump. Read all about it here at theguardian.com.

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http://www.motorcycle.com/features/owners-perspective-aprilia-tuono-upgrades-pt-3.html#respondTue, 07 Aug 2018 22:39:59 +0000Thai Long Lyhttp://www.motorcycle.com/?p=79112An Owner’s Perspective: Aprilia Tuono Upgrades – Pt 3[Frequent MO readers will know that our friend, Thai Long Ly, is not a man of few words. Consequently, we should’ve known what we were getting more]]>

[Frequent MO readers will know that our friend, Thai Long Ly, is not a man of few words. Consequently, we should’ve known what we were getting into when he offered to write up his experience with Tuono modifications. Still, we never expected an 8,400-word opus. So, we decided to break the story into easier to digest pieces. Here is Part 3 for your reading enjoyment. If you missed it, catch up on the part one and part two. –Ed.]

MRA X-Creen Sport ($107)

Performance / Aesthetics

MRA X-Creen. Not completely ugly, but I still prefer “Candy”.

The stock screen actually does a fine job of slicing through the wind with no discernible buffeting, despite its tiny footprint. Only when pushing well beyond the legal speed limits (well, like double) do I find the wind blast a bit oppressive. I needed a simple solution to this tiny problem. So I clipped this diminutive deflector from MRA to the existing screen via the supplied mounts (can be permanently drilled or temporarily installed) and off I went. And lo and behold… it actually works! I’ll never mistake my Tuono for an FJR, mind you, but this innocuous piece of plastic does an admirable job of calming the wind as I Biaggi my balls down the road. I’d say another 22.19% improvement or so. Perhaps 24.22% if you slathered it in butter (champion’s tip #1 – apply organic low sodium vegan butter to your leathers and helmet on race day to cheat the wind). The notched swivel mounts render it fully adjustable so you can dial in the sweet spot and the locking mechanism wards off unwanted speed flop. It’s not the prettiest thing I’ve ever put on my bike (she said her name was “Candy”) but it’s decidedly effective and therefore a keeper. (champion’s tip #2 – if you actually contemplated the butter thing, you’re an idiot). MRA X-Creen.

Ebay Levers (Chinese) ($49)

Performance / Aesthetics

Ebay levers. Go ahead… touch ’em. You know you want to.

Yep. I bought cheap ass Chinese levers for my expensive Italian bike and put the money I saved into grippy American tires. And by the way, not everything made in Asia is flimsy and weak. My grandpa was tough AF and he lived to be 98. Granted, these levers don’t know from martial arts but they still kick solid ass with admirable fit and finish in addition to providing smooth, accurate action. They may be cheap in price, but they’re certainly not cheap in feel. There is a tiny bit of slop in the lever (on the vertical plane inside the perch) compared to the OEM units, but I don’t care. They haven’t slowed me down one bit and they feel plenty good to these ruggedly handsome yet romantically sensitive musician hands. I’ve racked up nearly 100k miles over the past few years using similar levers on all my bikes and I’ve had zero issues so far. The anodizing is holding up well (the bottom of the barrell el-cheapo Ebay levers usually fade with time so steer clear) despite the high mileage and non-stop use. With that said, choose wisely.

Slipscreens Limited Headlight Protectors ($26)

Performance / Aesthetics

Slipscreens Ltd Headlight covers. A great way to protect those factory lamps from sharks. And rocks.

I ride all year round and spend the majority of my biking life in the canyons, where the enticingly curvy roads are often littered with rocks and debris – especially during the dirty winter months. If you’ve ever followed another rider and had a 200/55 mega sticky tire spit a warp speed pebble aimed at your delicate parts and plastics you’ll know why I care. And if you’re like me and have cracked an expensive headlight as a result, you’re the perfect candidate for these ridiculously simple covers. These rigid plastic protectors are available in a variety of colors (13 to be exact) and attach with industrial strength hook and loop closures. They’re not a perfectly sculpted fit, but are close enough for jazz and after several thousand miles of use, they’re quite knackered and pitted. And that’s exactly why I have them – better these than my overpriced factory lights. Buy a set in solid black for your next track day and breeze through tech without ever touching that painter’s tape. Like a sweaty meter maid with swollen ankles, they’re not terribly sexy but are quietly effective at what they do.

HT-Moto Tank Pads ($20/sheet)

These diamond cut two-toned sheets of Hydro Turf are a kinder, gentler alternative to all the other tank pads currently available on the market. I like ’em because they’re comfortable, grippy and waterproof. And they won’t abrade your kevlar denim jeans or chafe your Orlando tanned thighs like other highly abrasive products do. Race bikes often substitute them in lieu of an actual padded seat as well. They’re long lasting (49k miles and 40k miles on previous bikes) and are available in multiple color options, so you’ll easily find something to coordinate with your manly fanny pack. And the fact that you cut them out yourself (they come in square sheets; you’ll need scissors and a steady hand) means you can completely customize their shape and placement. Go crazy with it; stick ’em to your lover’s face, ass or hips – anywhere you might need some extra grip (for professional use only). Plus, when it’s time to peel them off, the otherwise sticky adhesive comes right up without destroying your precious top coat. Good stuff.

SW Motech Micro Tank Bag ($177 w/ring)

Tank bags. I love ’em. Like I love burritos. And this rugged little bag is a great way to bring along hand held meats and cheeses that you would not otherwise be able to carry on a sportbike. My phone, wallet, cigars, tire gauge, spare ear plugs, a spare cat and a camera are also swallowed with ease in this diminutive structured bag. There’s an expandable zip out section that makes it possible to bring that Grande Soy Double Wank Single Dripping Triple Fingered Latte home, too. Seeing as the Tuono’s tank is plastic, magnetic bags aren’t welcome here. So, the Motech’s ingenious tank ring mounting system is a perfect solution for all of us with limited magnetism. After nearly 10k miles of use, the base plate’s release mechanism started acting the fool and a quick note to the company produced an easy solution. Apparently these maintenance-free items require some “light maintenance” every so often as dirt and dust can render them resistant to releasing. In other words, squirt some graphite/teflon lube in there and have at it. I did, and all is well. The only drawback I’ve encountered with this thing is that during aggressive riding, my supple moobs ram the bag when leaning into a fast turn, thus hindering proper body position. But then again, I’m short (5’ 5” with low barometric pressure) with tyrannosauric arms, so taller riders may not suffer this malady. The struggle is real, but the bag is good.

Kreiga US-30 Tail Pack System (in link below also) ($169)

Performance / Aesthetics

Kreiga US-30 Tail bag. It swallows your junk with ease.

Wanna take a long trip? With more than just the clothes on your back? You’ll need one of these. This 100% waterproof bag has proven its merit time and time again. I’ve ridden all over the Sierras, Rockies, Cascades, including around the Grand Canyon and into British Columbia with this trusty sack. Through torrential downpours one minute and blistering 112 degree chakra sucking heat the next. Through it all, nary a drop of moisture has ever reached my precious contents. Of which there are many, as you can stuff this satchel to the gills with whatever you need for your next two wheeled travel adventure. Essentially being an extra rugged 30 liter duffel bag, with soft sides and no dividers means you’ll want the smaller one for daily use as smaller items will knock around inside. But, if you’re looking to point your bike in a direction away from home and don’t plan on coming back until you run out of time or money, this is your bag. I pack it to the max every single time and never use half of what I bring with me. Live and learn. Easy on, easy off and built to last (70 dog year warranty). If only everything in my life were this dependable.

Ogio Stealth Tail Bag ($89)

Small tank bag for small items. Check. Large tail bag for large items. Check. Medium tail bag for many small or none large items. Check. This modest 20.8L tail bag from Ogio fits the bill nicely when looking for something that can hold just about anything you need for your daily commute. I use it to haul camera gear and spare lenses, amongst other things. It even fits my 13” MacBook Pro – though barely. There’s very little structure to the bag, so my heavy DSLR tends to slide around inside the single main compartment with little regard for its own safety. It’s sorta annoying, but not the end of the world. There are useful side pockets and a nice grab handle on the front, as well as a top organizer pocket for thinner, flatter items such as pizza slices. There’s also a pull out rain cover neatly tucked into the front that I’ve yet to utilize. Overall a useful design and the outer shell material seems highly abrasion resistant. As a result of being my daily use bag, the thinner inside lining is starting to rub through from friction as items slide around haphazardly and it’s exhibiting some heavy color fading from the sun. I sadly can’t predict it’ll go the distance like the more upscale Kreiga or SW Motech bags should and for the price, I cannot expect it to. What it lacks in outright ruggedness, it makes up for in usefulness and convenience. I’ve grown quite fond of it and will be fair to partly sullen when it finally gives up the ghost.

Titanium Front Brake Caliper Bolts ($17 set of 4)

Performance 1/2 / Aesthetics

Titanium bolts. Use novocaine lotion instead of threadlock.

Motorcyclists love titanium – almost as much as we love carbon fiber. And what’s not to love? I saw these trick uber-lightweight titanium bolts poking around online one night and knew I had to have ’em. Why? Because I was bored. Add to cart. Enter. Ugh. And then they arrived. Pulling them out of the padded envelope, they weighed half as much as the stock bolts and felt great in hand. I immediately torqued them up to spec (remember to use anti-seize and lay off the torque figure 20% or thereabouts) and took off into the world in search of fame and fortune. Yoking up a fat 45 as I left my driveway, I heard a sexy female voice in the Italian convertible next to me shout “niceh boltsa… I betta they screweda inna niceh and easy, no…?!” And she was right… they had slid right in with nary a shudder. And if this steamy little scenario had been true, the reality is that I felt nothing. Nada. Zilch. Not a single thing. Like a lap dance from your grandma, you should feel nothing, too. But, ever the optimist, I’ll never dismiss the quest for losing weight anywhere and any way we can. In the end, this is another hard to rate item. 5 stars for being titanium light and titanium strong. Zero stars because I couldn’t feel a damn bit of difference. So 2.5 stars to split the difference?! All in all, do this mod last if you even bother doing it at all. I won’t say it doesn’t matter… every ounce of weight loss adds up to increased performance. Same for your bike.

Driven Block Off Plates ($95)

Performance / Aesthetics N/A

Driven block-off plates. If you can see them, you need to lay off the drugs.

California bikes are equipped with a Secondary Air System (SAS) that essentially injects fresh intake air into the exhaust to help combat AIDS, ISIS, and higher emissions. All in the name of the EPA. For those ok with higher emissions, there are block off plates available that allows one to bypass and toss this mandated nonsense. Why would we do this? Because boredom. I didn’t feel anything different performance-wise (grandma…? ) and heard some lessened gurgling and deceleration pop (backfiring) when rolling off the throttle. Which is the entire point, I suppose. That and a minor amount of weight reduction (1-2 lbs) from ditching the associated plumbing. Some claim they feel an uptick in performance with this mod, but that’s usually when paired with alcohol, cocaine or amphetamine use. Oh, and while you’re at it, rip out that hideous charcoal canister that’s dangling off the right side of your bike. Plug up one of the lines and remove the check valve under the tank if you really wanna be a rebel. Then immediately plant a tree to offset the carbon you’re creating.

Throttle Boss Throttle Lock ($2.15)

I’ve used all variations of the hard plastic throttle assists and palm rests, and conclude that this simple rubber “band” is my favorite. Strap it on for prolonged riding enjoyment and you can motor on well into the night without suffering “rippers grip”. Place it anywhere you want as the rubber texture and thin “perch” won’t feel bulky under your hand. All palm assist cruise controls take a minute to get used to, but once you do, it’s hard to go back. I like them because I can relax my hand, yet still stay on gas with steady throttle. Which is the entire point. Plus, the minute amount of weight you’re releasing from the bar allows for finer control of the bike overall. Especially useful on a beastly machine like the Tuono, where simply traveling along a choppy interstate takes an extra steady throttle to keep the bike running smoothly. And when carving up a twisty mountain road, taking all unnecessary weight off the bars, even the throttle, allows me to concentrate on staying steady between the lines. It’s not for everybody, but try it… you might like it.

RAM GoPro Rail Mount ($38)

Performance / Aesthetics

RAM Rail Mount. Tough AF.

Of all the available ways to mount your GoPro to your bike none feels more safe and sound than using this rock solid fully adjustable mount from RAM. Utilizing a well designed ball and joint swivel system, there are endless positional possibilities that could satisfy even the most punctilious Hollywood DP. All RAM products are built to last a lifetime and they offer numerous accessories for attaching anything and everything to your bike. They’re not exactly what I’d call “attractive”, but like the bowl-cut mustached country boy that came to fix your lawn mower, you know that it’ll do its job right. I’m willing to bet that if you somehow crashed your bike, this would be one item that wouldn’t get damaged. And speaking of which, I highly recommend that you don’t mount your phone to your bike using anything at all from any manufacturer. Reason is if you get detached from your bike during a crash (highly likely) and are immobilized due to injury, you won’t be able to call for help if you can’t reach your phone. It’s best to always have it on your body when riding. Ask me how I know.

Filler Neck Mod ($0)

What the hell is the filler neck mod? Let me explain. Putting fuel in one’s bike should be as follows… nozzle in. Squeeze handle. Nozzle out. Ride off. However, with a Tuono, it’s more like… nozzle in. Squeeze handle. Soak your tank and crotch. Yell expletive. Try again because WTF?! More gas crotch. Look around in embarrassed disbelief.

So, what in the hell? Aprilia doesn’t want you to dispense diesel in your tank, so they’ve limited the diameter of the filler neck to only accept the smaller standardized unleaded nozzle. This safety feature, combined with the shape of the tank’s interior, means that gasoline is guaranteed to regurgitate out whenever you try to pour it in. Aside from slowly and painstakingly filling your tank (who’s got time for that?), there is a simple solution. You bore out a larger hole in the plastic filler neck using a Dremel or similar device. And voila. You can now fuel up like a normal human without the risk of the dreaded fireballs (or flamecooch). Oh, and pointing the nozzle towards yourself, regardless of this mod or not, will help as well. It’s a 20 minute mod with the right tools and quite a bit mo’ betta’.

Here’s 1 mo’.

And there she am, folks. These are just a few of the more common mods and upgrades you’ll see most riders performing to their bikes, regardless of make or model. Don’t mistakenly think these are exclusively Tuono mods, though some obviously are. The single biggest takeaway for me after all this effort (and expense) is that my bike now weighs exactly 441lbs. fully fueled. That’s over 25 fun sucking pounds dropped from the factory delivered weight. This bike just rips ass in a whole new manner as a result. Every single mod, however big or small, adds up to a more engaging, more responsive and more exhilarating motorcycling experience. Isn’t that why we passionately buy these devilish things in the first place? And when it comes to riding for life, mo’ is definitely mo’ betta’!

Motorcycles and camping go hand in hand, and it’s one of our favorite pastimes. There’s nothing like hitting the open road with everything you need to be self-sufficient strapped to your bike – it’s quite liberating in fact. It kind of makes you feel like a modern-day cowboy. Whether you’re camping overnight, for a few days, or an entire month, there are a few necessities you need to bring with you, and truthfully, not much else. When it comes to living off your bike, less is more.

It’s easy to overpack and bring more than what you need, and most of the stuff you thought you needed usually never even gets touched. Every rider is different, though. If you’re diabetic and need your insulin, why not try a few days without it? Just kidding, bring that, but you can leave your entire wardrobe at home and in the closet. One change of clothes is usually enough. Motorcycle camping is an ongoing learning process, even for the most experienced, but we’re here to share what necessities you’ll need to make your life on the road that much easier.

Tent

A tent is definitely the first thing that comes to mind whenever camping is mentioned. Since you’re on your bike, you’ll want something small. There’s no need for a family-sized tent that takes a village to put together. We prefer to use one-man tents. Not only are they small (usually the size of a bread loaf when packed up), but they’re super easy and quick to erect – and tear down and pack up for that matter, too.

Everyone sleeps differently. Some people can sleep like a rock even if they’re lying in the dirt, but most others would prefer some sort of cushion. Because you’re limited by the amount of stuff you can carry, an inflatable double-tall, queen-sized mattress is out of the picture – save that for a different camping trip. Our favorite option is a mattress/sleeping pad. They’re usually about two-inches thick and provide a surprising amount of comfort. Most are also self-inflating with a nozzle valve to blow into for additional firmness, offer insulation and warmth a foam pad doesn’t, and quickly roll up to be super compact and lightweight when not in use.

Sleeping Bag

Well, this one is a given. There are endless options when it comes to sleeping bags, but one thing to look for especially is the temperature for which any particular sleeping bag is rated for. Don’t bring a thin summer bag when overnight temperatures dip down into the 50s, 40s or even 30s. Just because it’s nice and warm during the day, doesn’t mean it’ll stay that way overnight. Check your destination(s)’ weather forecast to know what you’re up against and pack accordingly.

Headlamp

Don’t leave home without one – seriously. Often times you won’t roll into camp (or even figure out where you’ll be camping) until after dark – that’s just a given unless you’re the type of person who has to schedule and plan everything out to a T ahead of time. Not that there’s anything wrong with that – the world definitely needs people like you – but if that description hits a little too close to home, then maybe motorcycle camping isn’t for you. Or maybe it is, to help loosen things up – live a little! Motorcycle camping has always been more of a go with the flow type of activity, especially if you’re traveling in a group. Setting up camp in the dark is common, and you definitely want to have both hands free. An LED headlamp is bright as hell and worth its weight in gold. It’s also nice to have a spare flashlight in addition to your headlamp, too.

For a headlamp like this Petzl Tikka and many others, find them at Amazon.

Tools

Like mentioned before, a major part of motorcycle camping is being self-sufficient, and bringing a good set of tools is incredibly important. It can be the determining factor between an easy (or big) fix with an epic story to tell afterward, or a costly tow bill and ruined trip – not to mention a blow to your ego. Know your bike and bring what you need tool wise. Also bring a tire patch kit, a pressure gauge, an air pump (a small bicycle pump or a CO2 cartridge kit), and possibly even tire spoons if your motorcycle’s tires aren’t tubeless. There are even small air compressors you can buy, but a bike pump or CO2 kit is just as easy to use and takes up less space.

Other tools to bring are safety wire pliers (and safety wire), zip ties and paracord – all three are super cheap and can be used in endless ways to save your bacon out on the road. Or maybe to save your butt from becoming bacon… A spare spark plug or two never hurt either.

Small Axe or Hatchet

Camping isn’t camping without a fire, and building a fire is slowly becoming a lost art. Having a small axe or hatchet will make your life (and building a fire) much easier. It will allow you to make kindling and smaller logs out of bigger ones, and ultimately, a better, hotter-burning fire. The other flat end of the hatchet can be used as a hammer to drive down tent stakes and whatnot. Finally, it’s an incredibly useful tool while camping, and you can even practice your axe throwing for fun. It’s also a great idea to carry a knife and a Leatherman (or similar multi-tool). Your author once knocked out a bear with a thrown hatchet.

Canteen

Wherever you go, bring water with you. There’s almost nothing worse for your body than dehydration. Anything can happen out on the road (or in the woods/desert/mountains) on your motorcycle, so it’s a good idea to make sure you at least have something to drink. Canteens come in all sorts of different shapes and sizes, and you can even get a hydration pack like a Camelbak.

Tarp

A small tarp is a good idea to bring with you on your motorcycle camping trip. Its uses are endless, but they’re especially great to put underneath your tent if the ground happens to be wet or moist, or if it’s going to rain. A tarp can also provide quick shade or even shelter from rain or hail.

Clothes

As mentioned earlier, you don’t need much. One change of clothes (maybe two depending on how long you’re on the road for) is all you really need. Who cares if you get a little smelly, you’re a biker for Christ’s sake, act like it. Definitely bring a bathing suit or pair of shorts to jump in the water and perhaps a small towel. Of course pack for the weather, but don’t over pack. If it’s going to be cold, bring a sweatshirt and perhaps a beanie, but don’t bring two because one will match better with your other outfit. Remember, less is more, and no one cares if you’re color coordinated or not. Bring a pair of more comfortable shoes or flip-flops too, if you want to give your feet a break from whatever riding shoes or boots you have or if you plan on getting in the water.

Miscellaneous

Obviously, don’t leave your toothbrush or deodorant at home, but this section is everything else you might need, and everybody is different. If you’re diabetic, bring your insulin. If you’re a mosquito magnet, bring some bug spray. If you have red hair and fair skin, bring your sunscreen. Bring some snacks, of course, but don’t bring the kitchen sink. Another nice thing to bring with you if you have the room is a little mini propane bottle and burner. It’s a nice steady heat source to cook over or make coffee with in the morning.

With each and every passing motorcycle camping trip, you’re going to get a better idea of what you need (and perhaps didn’t have) and what you brought but never even touched. It’s a learning process that takes time and experience, but with each trip, you’ll refine what you bring and how you pack it. Above is just a list of the necessities. Tweak it how you may, but if you bring nothing other than what’s outlined above, you’ll make out just fine. Now get out there, have some fun, and try not to kill yourself.

Austria’s Red Bull Ring, home of this weekend’s eyetime Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich, is the closest thing to the Bonneville Salt Flats of any track on the MotoGP calendar. For those riders, ahem, who have trouble getting their bikes to turn this place is like heaven. The weekend looks like it’s going to be a Ducati clambake, but looks can be deceiving.

Andrea Dovizioso returned to the top of the podium last week at Brno. He’ll try to make it two in a row in Austria, where he has had some success.

Recent History in Austria

Recent history at the Red Bull Ring has been, well, brief. The track joined the calendar in 2016 after an 18-year gap in the running of the Austrian Motorcycle Grand Prix. Selecting Red Bull Ring as the venue, with it’s but nine (9) turns, gave Ducati Corse a bulletproof venue they could dominate with their eyes closed until KTM gets its Austrian act together.

Andrea Iannone earned his first MotoGP win in Spielberg in 2016, followed by teammate Andrea Dovizioso and Jorge Lorenzo. Iannone still holds the fastest lap time, set in qualifying that year.

In 2016, the factory Ducati Dueling Andreas (Dovizioso and Iannone) led the factory Yamahas on a merry chase through the lush Austrian countryside, followed by everyone else. At the flag, Iannone handled Dovizioso (this was the year everyone but Scott Redding won a race) while The Spartan outgunned The Doctor for the last step on the podium.

Last year would have been a carbon copy of 2016 with the exception of Dovizioso winning, Jorge Lorenzo taking Iannone’s seat and finishing fourth, and those pesky, unwelcome factory Hondas hogging the second and third steps on the podium. This was one of those races, similar to what we saw last week, when Marc Marquez and Dovizioso went knives-in-a-phonebooth, Spain vs. Italy, Honda vs. Ducati, and Dovi ended up on top. The kind of competition that gives motorcycle racing a good name. We should be so lucky to have another one like last year on Sunday.

Andrea Dovizioso beat Marc Marquez by 0.176 seconds in last year’s race. Excluding Thailand, which will host its first round later this year, the Red Bull Ring is the only circuit on the calendar where Marc Marquez has never won a MotoGP race.

The track record here of 1:23.142 is owned by Iannone and was set in 2016, the last of the Bridgestone years. Marquez got close last year. Someone’s going to beat it this year, weather permitting.

Mexico and Finland?

Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, which has hosted Formula One racing, is rumored to be joining the MotoGP calendar for 2019.

In a virtually unpublicized announcement, we’ve learned that Mexico – yes, THAT Mexico – has been provisionally added to the 2019 calendar in place of the Grand Prix of Finland. The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez outside Mexico City has hosted F1 races since 2015 and has been added to the provisional MotoGP calendar for next year, much to the consternation of Valentino Rossi, who says it’s a lousy track and he’s liable to get kidnapped off the street, or words to that effect.

The new Kymi Ring in Tillola, about 70 miles northeast of Helsinki had been scheduled to host a grand prix next year, but construction is sufficiently behind schedule (pronounced shéd-jūl) to preclude placing it on the 2019 calendar. Should Finland be completed by 2020, it would likely take the place of an existing European round – betting Aragon here – rather than join as a 21st race, the idea of which – 21 race dates – also causes Vale to hyperventilate. Should the Finnish track not be completed to by 2020, it may go the way of Ebbw Vale in Wales.

I’m with Rossi. I think Mexico is one of the scariest places in the hemisphere, especially in and around the capital. It would be one thing if the track were a thing of beauty, which it’s not.

It will be fun to see whether Rossi has enough juice to keep Mexico off the final 2019 schedule.

A Little Number Crunching

I had this idea before the season started that the competition would be way closer than it has been, and that because other riders – Dovi, Maverick Viñales, Alex Rins – would be scarfing more points than usual, the ultimate winner would have fewer points available to him and would thus have trouble meeting Marquez’ 298 from last year. I mentioned a few weeks ago, in passing, that Valentino holds the record for the most points recorded in a modern premier class season of 373 in 2008.

Sadly, Marquez and his frigging brilliance have left my theory screwed, blued and tattooed. He stands closer today to topping 373 than he does missing 298. I will update this regularly in order to keep tabs on my brilliant notion, one which has been wrong virtually since Day One.

On the other hand, the graphic itself could be used to argue for a three-tranche system, rather than five, as the breaks are pretty clear, as shown above. (The better line between #2 and #3 would separate Bautista and Pol.) The only thing is – as specified in the Rules of Tranching, you gotta have at least five.

One last intuitive way to slice this is as follows:

Riders likely to score > 300 points.

Riders likely to score > 200 points.

Riders likely to score > 100 points.

Riders likely to score < 100 points.

Riders likely to score < 50 points.

Which would produce

Marquez

Rossi, Dovizioso, Viñales, Lorenzo

Zarco, Petrucci, Crutchlow, Iannone, Miller, Rins, Pedrosa

Bautista, P Espargaro, Rabat, Syahrin, Morbidelli

Aleix, Smith, Redding, Nakagami, Abraham, Luthi, Simeon

Dani Pedrosa in the News

KTM is reportedly interested in having Dani Pedrosa serve as a test rider.

Dani Pedrosa, early in what was supposed to be his Farewell Tour, has reportedly been approached by KTM to become a test rider beginning next year, to the surprise of few. I’m convinced KTM coveted Pedrosa for Hafiz Syahrin’s seat on the Tech 3 team next year with Miguel Oliveira; my guess is that Dani turned them down. He would, in my opinion, be a great choice as a test rider, as his ability to provide useful feedback is as good as anyone’s. (Part of the problem is that Honda is not asking him his opinion much these days, trimming the RC213V the way #93 wants it.) Dani would, of course, have to wear ankle weights and a lead vest in order to approximate the bulk of a full-sized rider.

Your Weekend Forecast

Weather-wise, rain is expected Friday, clouds on Saturday, and scorching sun on race day. As there is a very loose correlation between weather conditions and brand performance, the forecast could lead one to expect fast times for Ducatis on Friday, Yamahas on Saturday and Hondas on Sunday; we have just crossed over from the ridiculous to the sublime.

The Austrian fans may be rooting for KTM but it’s Ducati that has dominated the Red Bull Ring.

Dovizioso found his rhythm in the second half last year; Brno may have marked the beginning of some improved form for the Italian this year; Red Bull Ring is a great place to find out. Lorenzo has it going on at this point and must be considered a threat. Marquez and Rossi – always. Viñales is dealing with The Red Mist. I find myself pulling for Danilo Petrucci, desperate for his first premier class win, perhaps thinking that Sunday could be his chance to bust that nettlesome cherry. And though I don’t believe your boy Alvaro Bautista has a chance of winning on Sunday, I feel sorry for the guy and think he deserves a mercy podium.

In a textbook example of going with one’s heart over one’s head, I’m saying Petrucci, Dovizioso, Lorenzo and Marquez, top four in that order. All Ducati podium, contrary to my teaser above. Danilo’s first win. But Marquez extends his lead in the championship anyway, thinking strategically, winning when he’s not winning, keeping the shiny side up. Thinking, always thinking…

Danilo Petrucci is still waiting for his first MotoGP win. Will it come this weekend in Austria?

We’ll have results here bright and early on Sunday morning. And when I say “here” I mean on my computer and in my Sent Mail. MO will post the results in their leisurely fashion sometime later in the day. Visit my blog (if you can find it) to read the unedited copy (sans photos) early. Then come back to MO for the conversation.

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http://www.motorcycle.com/shoot-outs/2018-adventure-bike-shootout-primer#respondTue, 07 Aug 2018 19:57:18 +0000Troy Siahaanhttp://www.motorcycle.com/?post_type=shoot-outs&p=790902018 Adventure Bike Shootout PrimerThis week you might notice Motorcycle.com being a little quieter than usual. The reason is because most of the MO staff are out riding in more]]>

This week you might notice Motorcycle.com being a little quieter than usual. The reason is because most of the MO staff are out riding in our Sorta Annual Big Adventure Bike Shootout. For 2018, we’ve gathered seven of the biggest and baddest adventure machines out there. The plan? To put them through their paces on both the pavement and the dirt. To prove we’re serious about the dirt part, each of the contenders here comes to us with wire wheels, except for one, which we’ll get to in a moment.

So who are the contenders? In (mostly) alphabetical order, we’ve got the BMW R1200GS Adventure, Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports, KTM 1290 Super Adventure R, Suzuki V-Strom 1000 XT, Triumph Tiger 1200 XCa, and Yamaha Super Tenere ES. All of them are designed to explore both the beaten and unbeaten paths no matter where you are in the world. They’ve got big engines, bigger gas tanks, tall seats, loads of technology, and in this case, a lot of MOrons piloting them.

The outlier in the group (except for the MOron part) is the Ducati Multistrada 1260 S. Its cast wheels won’t do it any favors in the dirt portion of our test, but it was the only Multistrada Ducati had available – we had requested the smaller-engined but properly-wheeled Multistrada Enduro, but the previous borrower gave it a good whacking, leaving Ducati with the repair bill and MO high and dry. It was either Multi 1260 S or nothing, so we bent our self-imposed rule. Rest assured, once the Enduro gets fixed, it’ll get its proper shake against whoever wins this shootout.

For your bench racing pleasure we’ve included a spec chart below so you can see how our contenders stack up on paper. Keep in mind we asked the manufacturers to equip their machines with whatever off-road accessories they wanted from their own catalogs and this is reflected in the “as-tested” prices listed for each machine. You’ll see there’s a wide price variation between the bunch, with the $15,145.83 Suzuki V-Strom 1000 XT the least expensive, and the $24,090.00 BMW R1200GS Adventure almost 10 grand more.

All seven motorcycles are packed with technology, with tech like Hill Start Assist, Cornering-ABS, and electronic suspension sprinkled across the lot. In this regard, the tech we’re most intrigued by, especially in this adventure setting, is the Dual Clutch Transmission fitted to the Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports. Can it really perform just as well – or better – than a traditional transmission off-road? Honda seems to think so, since we gave them the option to submit either traditional or DCT model for this test. Honda clearly stands behind the technology, and it appears riders feel the same way – Honda reps tell us that DCT sales are nearly 50% between models available in either DCT or regular variants.

Of course there’s a lot more one can glean by studying these specs, but we want to leave the rest of our words for the main story. In the meantime, Dennis and Burns will be manning the MO ship while the rest of the crew are out this week. If you have questions about any of the bikes, leave them in the comments and we’ll address them once we return to civilization.